The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, an organization responsible for world records in architecture, has announced its definitive list of the world’s highest twisting skyscrapers (either completed or under construction), many of which are truly stunning. The CTBUH “defines a ‘twisting’ building as one that progressively rotates its floor plates or its façade as it gains height. Usually, but not always, each plate is shaped similarly in plan and is turned on a shared axis a consistent number of degrees from the floor below.”

The Diamond Tower (above) being built in Dubai is perhaps the most impressive such spiral structure, its rotating floors extending out from a central spire and adding a dynamic visual layer. It is the second-tallest in the list.

At 2073 feet, the Shanghai Tower by Gensler is the tallest to date (also the second-tallest tower in the world aside from its twist).  The CTBUH reports that these approach to tall architecture is trending around the world. While any single reason would be speculative, one can assume that the variation from floor to floor is part of the appeal, both for internal occupants and in terms of the dynamic profiles this variety entails.

The third-tallest is the Cayan Tower in Dubai by SOM. “A stunning variety of textures, view angles, and ripple effects results from these manipulations, making these ‘twisters’ some of the world’s most iconic buildings – and in many cases, aerodynamic and energy-efficient. In this study, we rank the world’s 28 tallest twisting towers (either completed or under construction as of July 2016) and display selected variations on the theme.”

Finding new life as a combination of retail and housing space, this stunning structure’s new look works with the existing building envelope and floor plates while breaking down visible divisions between stories.

Located in Bangkok, Thailand, the refab is now home to four siblings above and their family-run jewelry store on the first floor.

Idin Architects (photos by Spaceshift) kept the framework, difficult to remove as it touches adjacent structures, but renovated the interior and added an entirely new facade that seems to defy floors as it wraps up the front.

Each family occupies two stories of the 7-floor building, with elevators connecting all of the different units in the back and an enclosed rooftop patio above.

A central lightwell (occupied in part by a slow-growing tree) and other internal features reconnect the different are as well while maintaining separation and privacy for each family unit.

Japanese culture is commonly thought of as being centered around quiet politeness and public respect. If so, this may be a physical representation of that interpretation – a remarkably subtle and deferential structure-destroying process with many levels of conscientious thought behind it (not to mention a brilliant visual effect, per the video below).

This elegant form of razing is “reverse engineering” in a much more literal sense – taking apart what has been put together with equal care. The strange structure that seems to move down the building does just that: at each stage, it is held up, then strategically lowered as the process unfolds, making it appear as if the building is shrinking (perhaps imperceptibly to pedestrians, but noticeable as time lapses).

Demolition might be too strong a word: Taisei’s Ecological Reproduction System (aka Tecorep) caps buildings and proceeds to disassemble them piece by piece and level by level in order to reuse intact components and materials. While the approach is not entirely unique to Japan, the lengths gone to in these cases to dampen sound and reduce construction clutter are particularly pronounced.

The process does more than just aid in reuse – it lower environmental impact, from dust and debris to sound, all of which are buffered. And as elements are dropped down by crane, the power generated by that release of potential energy serves to generate electricity for the deconstruction efforts. The entire system is, in short, incredibly considerate and extremely well thought-out.

This is what creative design is all about: taking a familiar typology and turning (or twisting) it around … not merely to show off something new and unique, but to critically respond and adapt to conditions of site and context.

BIG is a Danish firm with a sizable vision for this new 500-foot structure, in collaboration with local architect James Cheng, which will be the fourth largest skyscraper in Vancouver when completed.

Set atop a mixed-use podium, the main tower portion seems to have a sizable section carved out of it, a physical void placed in visual deference to adjacent thoroughfares, sunlight access and lines of sight, while creating the effect of near structural impossibility from key angles of view.

The plinth portion below carefully considers the needs of pedestrians and feel of the building on the street, while the form and outline of the building above is planned with careful respect for the surrounding skyline.

“The Beach and Howe tower is a contemporary descendant of the Flatiron Building in New York City – reclaiming the lost spaces for living as the tower escapes the noise and traffic at its base,” says Bjarke Ingels, founding partner of BIG. “In the tradition of Flatiron, Beach and Howe’s architecture is not the result of formal excess or architectural idiosyncrasies, but rather a child of its circumstances: the trisected site and the concerns for neighboring buildings and park spaces.”

Bangkok’s skeletal ghosts of prosperity past aren’t the only super-tall structures left vacant for decades on end to deteriorate until they’re either heroically saved or razed to the ground. These 12 abandonments are among the tallest in the world and many bear historical significance for their respective cities, from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro. Some are incomplete, others are in bankruptcy-induced limbo and a lucky few will soon get a new lease on life, but all of these dormant developments currently stand silent, empty and dripping with decay.

Torre Abraham Lincoln, Rio de Janeiro

(images via:rafael pacheco)

“Paradise exists: it is here!” That was the tagline for Barra, an affluent area of Rio de Janeiro, in the 1960s, and the oddly named Torre Abraham Lincoln was supposed to offer a new, luxurious form of urban living to Brazilian residents who could afford it. The 37-floor circular tower suffered not just from the failure of the prestigious urban island lifestyle concept (74 similar planned towers were never built) but a host of other issues and has stood empty ever since. In 2004, more than 300 people squatted in the tower to highlight its plight and a 2010 art project by two Dutch artists attempted the same, but the tower may be demolished in the lead-up to the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Michigan Central Station, Detroit

As one Detroit blogger puts it, “Nothing symbolizes Detroit’s grandiose rise and spectacular fall like Michigan Central Station. And no other building exemplifies just how much the automobile gave to Detroit – and how much it took away.” Once a thriving railroad hub, the 230-foot 1913 Beaux-Arts Classical style building was shut down in the ’80s and was nearly demolished in 2009 before a Detroit resident sued the city to stop demolition, citing the National Historic Preservation Act.

Piraeus Tower, Greece

(images via: greekarchitects.gr)

Athens may be known for its ruins, but tourists don’t exactly come to the area to get a look at urban architectural skeletons like the Piraeus Tower, an incomplete 24-story structure started in 1972. Residents of the city have generally never been fans of the tower’s unremarkable 1970s design, especially since it dominates the skyline. The first three floors were used for various purposes including a high school in the 1980s but its upper floors have never been occupied. The hulking husk of a building was the subject of a recent design competition seeking imaginative makeover ideas.

Edificio Sao Vito, Sao Paulo, Brazil

(images via: wikipedia, diego 3336)

Referred to locally as a ‘vertical favela’ – high-rise slum – the Edificio Sao Vito in Sao Paulo, Brazil is undoubtedly an eyesore. Bearing none of the romance and gothic beauty of many other abandoned structures, this 27-story former residential building was evacuated in 2004 but has since been overtaken by squatters. Almost every inch of its exterior is covered in graffiti.

Henninger Tower, Frankfurt, Germany

(images via: murdoch666, wikipedia)

Built as a silo for Henninger Brewery in 1959, the Henninger Tower in Frankfurt, Germany could store 14,500 tons of grain but wasn’t used that way for long. It housed two revolving restaurants before it was closed down in 2002, and plans to demolish it were abandoned. Purchased by a developer in 2005, the 33-story tower was slated to be converted into residential towers, but it’s unclear whether those plans are still in motion.

Sterick Building, Memphis, Tennessee

(images via: wikipedia)

When it opened in 1930, the 29-floor Sterick Building of Memphis, Tennessee was the tallest building in the South. Once called “Queen of Memphis”, the tower is still beloved by architecture buffs though it was boarded up  in the 1980s.  Because it’s so old, has been empty so long and will likely involve sensitive environmental issues like asbestos, renovation may be difficult, but it seems destined to be a Memphis landmark for years to come – it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Book Tower, Detroit, Michigan

(images via: michael lavander, dan_dc)

Book Tower is just one of many empty structures adding to Detroit’s growing reputation as a lost city. 38 stories tall, the intricate Italian Renaissance-style stone-faced tower with a verdigris copper roof was actually the smaller of two planned Book Towers; plans for an 81-story sibling were axed during the Great Depression. Financial turmoil led to evictions and though the tower is currently unused, the Detroit City Council’s Green Task Force announced in 2009 that the tower will be turned into an eco-friendly complex of 260 residences.

Baker Hotel, Mineral Wells, Texas

(images via: nkerns)

While not the tallest building on the list, the Baker Hotel is definitely a massive abandonment, a 450-room luxury hotel that once housed Hollywood stars seeking rejuvenation at the town of Mineral Wells, Texas’ namesake ‘healing’ waters. Closed for good in 1972 after a long decline, the hotel has been the subject of many a ghost story. But there’s life yet in the historic building, and an Austin-based hotelier purchased it in 2010 with hopes of restoring its former glory.

Wacker Tower, Chicago, Illinois

(images via: dirtbag laundry service)

How could such a stunning building, unknown even to many lifelong Chicagoans, be left to decay? The former Chicago Motor Club building – also known as the Wacker Tower – is a hidden gem despite its auspicious location near the Trump Tower, the Sears Tower and other major landmarks. At some point in the 1990s it was almost converted to condos, but for now it’s empty, plastic sheeting reportedly covering up a view of the Art Deco lobby and a large mural of 1920s vehicles.

Old Central National Bank Building, Richmond, Virginia

(image via: jamie betts photo)

Built in 1925, the Art Deco Central National Bank building on Broad Street in Richmond, Virginia hasn’t lost much of its beauty despite the fact that it has been empty since 1949. At 22 stories, the historic high-rise was the tallest building in the city for decades. It may have lost that distinction, but it still draws tourists who stand and gape at its towering decay.

The PacBell Building, San Francisco, California

(images via: terrastories)

San Francisco’s most famous abandoned building is a 26-floor Neo-Gothic stunner topped with eagle statues. Bells can be spotted in various places on the building’s facade, hinting at its original purpose as headquarters of Pacific Telephone & Telegraph, later known as Pacific Bell.  When it was built in 1924, it was the city’s first significant skyscraper development.  It has only been vacated since 2005 but has already suffered some interior water damage; a new developer purchased it and plans to turn it into condominiums.

Sathorn Unique, Bangkok, Thailand

(images via: sweet_redbird, neajjean)

The Sathorn Unique is one of the most eye-catching buildings in Bangkok, and it’s easy to see why this would have been one of the most exclusive residences in the city. But the 49-story building was abandoned in mid-construction back in the late ’90s, when the economy tanked in Asia. Since then it has accumulated trash and graffiti. You might think that revitalizing such a prominent skyscraper would be a priority for the city, but the fact is, it’s just one of over 300 similar abandoned structures in Bangkok.