Cayan Tower: Dubai’s Twisting Icon of Architectural Ingenuity

In a city known for breaking boundaries and redefining skylines, few buildings manage to hold their own amid a sea of record-breakers. But Cayan Tower, previously known as Infinity Tower, does exactly that—not by height, but by twist. Spiraling 90 degrees from base to crown, this architectural marvel stands not just as a residential high-rise, but as a symbol of creative engineering and artistic vision.

Located in the prestigious Dubai Marina waterfront district, Cayan Tower immediately captures the eye with its 90-degree helical shape. Every floor is rotated 1.2 degrees from the one below, creating a full quarter turn over its 75-story vertical rise.

Developer: Cayan Group

Cayan Tower was developed by the Cayan Group, a Saudi-based real estate developer with a strong presence in Dubai. Known for embracing innovative concepts and upscale living standards, Cayan Group aimed to redefine luxury living by creating a structure that not only stood tall, but stood apart.

Their commitment to pushing architectural boundaries resulted in what was, at the time of completion, the world’s tallest twisted tower.

Architect: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)

The architectural brilliance of Cayan Tower comes from Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)—the same global firm behind Burj Khalifa and One World Trade Center. With structural engineering led by Bill Baker, SOM applied advanced design and structural technologies to execute a seamless, functional twist.

To counteract the wind loads and gravitational forces caused by the rotation, engineers employed a reinforced concrete column core with a flat slab construction system, minimizing lateral sway and ensuring maximum stability.