Helix Tower

One of the iconic features of Colonial Bay's modern skyline, this massive yet elegant apartment block represents an architectural tour de force. Fashioned on the now famous double helix motif, each level of this building consists of two sector-shaped apartments extending from opposite sides of a tall, cylindrical central shaft. The apartments counter-weight one another so that the stress is borne entirely by the central core of the building. This allows each storey to be rotated slightly clockwise from the storey beneath to create a truly unique profile.

Beyond the structural elements is the creative use of plexi-glass to cover the building's exterior. Which would not in and of itself be ground-breaking except that micro-currents passing through the glaze on the windows can change their apparent colour. The colours change according to patterns selected by a dedicated expert system though the palette seems always to make well informed choices that are pleasingly stylish though mostly abstract.