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(Malmö, Sweden to become a 'Nordic Dubai'?) The Turning Torso: Living the High Life
www.thelocal.se ^ | 07/17/2007 | Paul Steele

Posted on 07/19/2007 5:07:59 PM PDT by WesternCulture

Malmö’s famous Turning Torso skyscraper is among the tallest housing blocks in Europe. Behind the ultra-modern exterior is one of the world's most luxurious apartment complexes, writes Paul Steele.

People in the south of Sweden are total sceptics to new projects until they’re finished. The Öresund Bridge – no one will ever use it. The City Tunnel – complete waste of money. Turning Torso – Ha! Who would ever want to live there? I for one, and probably half of south Sweden and greater Copenhagen for another.

One of the tallest accommodation blocks in Europe, Turning Torso is the leading light of the newly created Western Harbour area of Malmö. It’s one of the most spectacular and luxurious apartment complexes in the world, with interiors priding the best of Scandinavian design, and a view that is, literally, breathtaking. It is the defining landmark of a new, vibrant region, the Öresund region of southern Sweden and greater Copenhagen, with a total of over 3.5 million inhabitants.

Turning Torso is built as a series of cubes spiralling around a central column that gives the appearance of a person’s twisted body. It took the Tower of Pisa hundreds of years to reach an effect that is nowhere near as spectacular as this is. It reaches 190 metres above sea level and consists of nine cubes with five storeys in each cube. There are 54 floors altogether, housing 152 apartments in the top seven cubes and with offices in the bottom two.

Turning Torso isn’t just life on a higher plane, it’s billed as the ultimate living experience. Fancy a trip to the Ballet in Copenhagen, or need to book a flight to London? No problem, just give the concierge in the reception a call. Entertaining a few colleagues? Great, get him to send you up a couple of bottles of your more exclusive wines from your own area in the wine cellar. Fancy a party? Book one of the conference rooms to entertain fifty or so of your closest friends. If you’re a gym rat, pop down – or up - to the relax area on the 43rd floor where you can pound away on the step machine, taking in the magnificent sea view beneath you. Then it’s off for a quick sauna and Jacuzzi before taking the lift down to your office in one of the first two cubes.

Turning Torso is not without its critics, however. It’s not just the building that spirals; the costs have done their fair bit too. In Sweden we all have to be equal (although everyone likes to be more equal than their peers) and it’s this attitude that has dominated the thoughts about the whole new Western Harbour area including Turning Torso. Everyone wants to live there, no one wants to admit it and not enough local people can afford it. Mind you, the tide is turning and people realize that if the economy is going to grow, then it will do so thanks to entrepreneurs that can afford to live at the top of Turning Torso.

For my part, I can’t wait to sit in my apartment, high up on the 50th floor, drinking wine from my own cellar and relishing every second of my newfound “Art of Living” as they refer to it at the Torso.


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: architecture; calatrava; construction; dubai; eurabia; luxury; malm; malmo; malmoe; skyscrapers; sweden

1 posted on 07/19/2007 5:08:02 PM PDT by WesternCulture
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To: WesternCulture

World wide, the city of Malmö, Sweden is infamous for having been overtaken by Muslim invaders.

In part, this notion is correct, at least when it comes to a specific part of Malmö.

However, while it is true that a certain area of Malmö, namely Rosengård, has become a Muslim ghetto (’ghetto’ in the sense of a slum in general comparision to one of the richest parts of THE wealthiest part of the world, Scandinavia), it is incorrect to believe that all of Malmö appears like this, ALTHOUGH Inner Malmö (not Metropolitan Malmö, which is much larger population wise) is home to a quarter of a million Muslims.

What will happen next?

1. Will all of Malmö become like Rosengård?

2. Will the Rosengård Muslims one day live in Swedish complexes like the Turning Torso?

3. Or, will Sweden decide to simply send the Muslims back?

As a Swede, I guess my choice would be the second alternative, provided we accept no more Muslim immigrants and start repatriating Muslims that obviously don’t wish to become law abiding and honest Swedes.

By the way, two Malmö clips I’d like to recommend:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUXjEd83mwI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byQD8VPhvdM&mode=related&search=


2 posted on 07/19/2007 5:08:56 PM PDT by WesternCulture
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To: WesternCulture

Without the warm weather.


3 posted on 07/19/2007 5:13:25 PM PDT by Jedi Master Pikachu ( What is your take on Acts 15:20 (abstaining from blood) about eating meat? Could you freepmail?)
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To: WesternCulture

Number 3 is your best, and wisest option.


4 posted on 07/19/2007 5:13:29 PM PDT by 359Henrie ( One more bullet for a Kennedy trifecta)
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To: WesternCulture

Do you have pictures of the ‘Turning Torso?’


5 posted on 07/19/2007 5:17:31 PM PDT by Jedi Master Pikachu ( What is your take on Acts 15:20 (abstaining from blood) about eating meat? Could you freepmail?)
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To: Jedi Master Pikachu; WesternCulture

I can’t find any pics either. Frankly, it sounds like hell on earth to me.


6 posted on 07/19/2007 5:39:23 PM PDT by TheSpottedOwl (Head Caterer for the FIRM)
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To: TheSpottedOwl; Jedi Master Pikachu

Pictures of Turning Torso:

http://www.altavista.com/image/results?itag=ody&q=turning+torso&kgs=0&kls=0


7 posted on 07/19/2007 5:45:30 PM PDT by WesternCulture
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To: WesternCulture

Appreciated.


8 posted on 07/19/2007 5:50:57 PM PDT by Jedi Master Pikachu ( What is your take on Acts 15:20 (abstaining from blood) about eating meat? Could you freepmail?)
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To: 359Henrie

“Number 3 is your best, and wisest option.”

- Are you sure?

Provided we Westerners really know how to infiltrate Muslim communities (which I think we do), civilized countries should welcome good Muslims as close allies, even welcome them to our own shores (to some extent).

Rosengård is a failure on the behalf of us Swedes, I admit that. On the other hand, such a place could be useful.


9 posted on 07/19/2007 6:23:44 PM PDT by WesternCulture
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To: WesternCulture
Image and video hosting by TinyPic
10 posted on 07/19/2007 6:31:44 PM PDT by Old Seadog (Inside every old person is a young person saying "WTF happened?".)
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To: WesternCulture
civilized countries should welcome good Muslims as close allies, even welcome them to our own shores (to some extent).

What on earth for? What good can possibly come of it? What positive contributions can muslims possibly make?

11 posted on 07/19/2007 6:33:01 PM PDT by Spirochete
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To: WesternCulture
Remarkable pictures indeed. One of the few times I would agree with FR's non favourite. He is Prince Charles. Having put his foot in it many times, he has slammed modern architecture. Still, in a free world we still have a choice. As breathtaking as the work seems and as modern as it is, it gives me a sense of disquiet.

I live next to fly over country. Let the fast lane people enjoy, if they do. Nice to be small town/city, after seeing these pictures.

I would like to mention a remarkable novel, please excuse my foibles here. It was written by a Swedish writer. He described his Sweden in the future. He drew a picture of a fine drawn bureaucracy. Nose in everyone's every move,every purchase,romance etc. The life style depicted though,a lot more permissive,than in 1984.

Certain cities are taken over by the dregs. They have their own law, police dare not go there. He does not mention anyone else, but refers to home grown European loser types though. His predictions are uncanny even to what is on television today. Herewith:

2018 AD Or The King Kong Blues.
Sam J Lundwall.
Penguin Group 1984.

12 posted on 07/19/2007 6:41:07 PM PDT by Peter Libra
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To: Spirochete
What positive contributions can muslims possibly make?

Top Ten Things Muslims Can Contribute To Western Society

Someone else can add their own five to finish the list.

13 posted on 07/19/2007 6:46:23 PM PDT by ikka
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To: Spirochete

“What on earth for? What good can possibly come of it? What positive contributions can muslims possibly make?”

- To begin with, I’m not saying Europe or any other part of the Western world should receive even MORE Muslims.

What I AM saying, on the other hand, is that the ones who behave should be given a chance (the ones who do not should be sent back or should be disposed of, in one way or another) and that we, actually, can learn something from keeping a portion of them close to us.

All people who are born into Islam are not the same.

Many Muslims who live under Sharia laws and Sharia mentality
oppose it in their hearts.

I hate people who try and enforce Sharia laws, but that doesn’t mean I hate the victims of Sharia laws.


14 posted on 07/19/2007 6:49:18 PM PDT by WesternCulture
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To: ikka
“Muslim Marines’ Motto: Duty, Honor Killing, Running Away Like a Baby When Confronted with Israeli Tank”

- The ‘Warriors of Mohamed’ would have earned a reputation of being superior soldiers throughout history IF;

1. They actually were true warriors

2. They knew how to stop fighting each other

3. They knew what, how and when to attack

The Muslims were driven out of Spain by peasants.

15 posted on 07/19/2007 7:04:24 PM PDT by WesternCulture
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To: Old Seadog

- Thanks for posting this image, fellow FReeper.

One interesting aspect of the Turning Torso is that the building techniques and construction principles presently employed by the daring people who are erecting the Freedom Tower at the World Trade Center site, bear many similarities to those adopted by the engineers and workers who accomplished the TT.

The Western World will continue to produce amazement and - despite our hardship, victories.

A new Renaissance!

PS. I read your ‘about page’.

It’s an honor for a young guy like me (born in 1969), to be aboard the same ship as you!

Best of regards from Gothenburg/Göteborg, Sweden, Europe!

WesternCulture


16 posted on 07/19/2007 9:20:26 PM PDT by WesternCulture
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