China’s Dance of Light tower is one of the most twisted buildings in the world

The 180-metre-tall tower was inspired by the curved shape of the northern lights

The recently unveiled Dance of Light skyscraper in Chongqing, China, is a 180-metre-tall twisted tower inspired by the northern lights. All photos: Aedas/ Arch-Exist Photography

Designed by architecture studio Aedas, the tower has a minimalist design that uses both form and light to accentuate its twisting shape.

'As an open public space, the tower has all the credits to be a city icon, especially the significant twisting of the facade is remarkable,' said Ken Wai, the global design principal at Aedas.

The Dance of Light tower has a 'twisting angle' of up to 8.8 degrees per floor.

The 39-storey skyscraper stands in the Jiangbei District of Chongqing, where each of the buildings drew inspiration from stars.

The Dance of Light office skyscraper in Chongqing, China, is a 180-metre-tall, twisted tower.

Designed by architecture studio Aedas, which has offices in Dubai, and located in Jiangbei District of Chongqing, the tower has a simple, elegant, yet mind-boggling form. Inspired by the northern lights, the shape of the tower is based on the dynamic rays and spirals of the polar lights often seen in the Arctic and Antarctic.

The twisted shape of the tower is formed through the double-curved surfaces on its facades, where bold vertical lines highlight the warped yet minimalist structure. Light plays a pivotal role in accentuating the twisted shape of the structure, as it reflects and bends over the glass facades, creating a stunning impression from different angles as the day progresses and the light changes colours.

The Dance of Light tower lives up to its name particularly when the sun rises and rays of light shine across the curved facades and the tower is transformed into a building of light.

Twisted towers often take a more angular approach when designing the form of their structures. However, Aedas opted for a smooth external facade using double-curved, cold-form glass to help achieve a refined form and allow for a more powerful play of light on the building’s surface.

“As an open public space, the tower has all the credits to be a city icon, especially the significant twisting of the facade is remarkable,” said Ken Wai, the global design principal at Aedas.

The 39-storey skyscraper stands in the business district where each of the buildings were influenced by the stars.

The tower has a "twisting angle" of up to 8.8 degrees per floor, which Aedas believe is 1.5 times more than any other skyscraper, making the Dance of Light one of the "most twisted towers in the world".

The tower has 34 floors of office space with an additional five storeys of meeting rooms and facilities. Low-level buildings stand alongside the tower with restaurants and cafes, with a connected roof echoing the twisted form of the tower.

12 futuristic cities being built around the world - in pictures