The Turning Torso's Spanish architect, Santiago Calatrava, is already working on a sister skyscraper, a 254-meter-high building to be erected at 80 South St. in New York.

The 54-story "Turning Torso" tower, built by the Swedish housing association HSB, twists through 90 degrees from base to top and counts as one of Sweden's most debated construction projects. During the spring of 2005, the building won a prestigious award at a property-industry trade fair in Cannes.

Providing a clear landmark in Sweden's third-largest city, the Turning Torso stands on the shore of the Öresund Straits. Its height is overwhelming, as is the gleaming white concrete façade and the twisted form. The building can actually be seen all the way from Helsingborg, 50 kilometers from Malmö.

The Turning Torso is no normal apartment block. In 1996, the Spanish sculptor and architect Santiago Calatrava created a design he called the Twisting Torso - a twisting human form consisting of a number of cubes.
The Turning Torso was built by HSB, Sweden's largest housing organization.

The former president of HSB had the idea for the building when he saw Calatrava's sculpture in a brochure. It did not take long before he traveled to Switzerland to discuss with Calatrava the possibility of transferring the sculptural concept to a twisted building. The rest is history.

The building comprises nine cubes twisting skywards. The lower stories will contain offices and from the 14th floor upwards, the tower will contain 147 apartments. At the very top, where no tenants will have access, Kjell Birnbach is working with the roofing. He is a foreman for the roofing and facing company Montak of Trollhättan, Sweden, and uses materials from Trelleborg.

"The roof is an exceptionally complex construction with many details. It is an advanced and time-consuming job," Birnbach said. "This isn't exactly a standard square building."

The view from his workplace is magnificent and on this particular day, a warm breeze prevails. Otherwise, the weather is the greatest challenge and when there is too much wind or rain, work is put on hold.

"Obviously, this is a prestigious project and quite a few of us must travel some distance to get to the site. People come to see the building every day. Everyone has an opinion, and my initial impression was mostly that the building was so tall. Of course it's also quite attractive."

Birnbach is not too easily impressed. However, the jury that awarded the prestigious MIPIM Award in Cannes in early March obviously allowed itself to be seduced.

The competition, which is held in connection with the world's largest property trade fair MIPIM, is divided into different categories for commercial centers, office buildings and homes. The jury evaluates aspects including architectural and technical quality, the originality of design and access to service.

"The most beautiful structure in the world," writes HSB of its Turning Torso in the Västra Hamnen area of Malmö. Not everyone agrees, but no can deny that this twisted, white skyscraper has given the region a new, eye-catching profile.

The building has 4,000 square meters of office space and 13,500 square meters of housing space. Shared facilities include a wine cellar, conference center, viewing platform, jacuzzi, gymnasium, sauna and guest room. Services for residents include 24-hour manned reception, cleaning, laundry, a handyman and courier services. HSB is building a sister project in New York City.

On the roof

It smells of bitumen, almost like tar, when you enter Trelleborg Building Systems' plant in Höganäs in the northwestern part of the province of Skåne in southern Sweden. From here, sealing membranes and warm asphalt are delivered to Montak, which is responsible for the roofing on the Turning Torso. Birnbach describes the sealing product as the "Rolls Royce of sealing membranes."

"Roofing felt has developed to an incredible extent over the past five years. With the brand Trebolit, Trelleborg was the first in the market to mix bitumen and rubber, creating SBS-modified bitumen, which lends roofing felt specific characteristics," explains product area manager Johan Ljungberg.

Mixing SBS (Styrene-Butadien-Styrene) into the bitumen provides a number of favorable product qualities, including high weld durability. Ljungberg says he is proud of the product and adds that the Swedish National Testing and Research Institute is currently re-laying its roof - with Trelleborg as its supplier.

Training the contractors allows Trelleborg to provide a 15-year guarantee for its products.

For more information e-mail or see trelleborg.com/trebolit.