Nicknamed Lo Storto, Italian for "The Twisted One," this legacy of the late great Dame Zaha Hadid has topped off, marking a major milestone for the centrepiece and focal point of the CityLife Development currently on the rise in Milan. Featuring Hadid's signature curves, what is officially known as the Generali Tower twists upward into the sky, its elegant glass exterior seamlessly following the curve of the structure beneath the surface.

Generali Tower twisting upwards towards the sky, image via Zaha Hadid Architects

Along with two other towers currently rising on the former site of Milan's International Fair, the Generali Tower is part of the ongoing redevelopment of a corner of Milan which had long sat dormant. The CityLife Development will include new civic spaces and public parks, along with a handful of residential mid-rise structures, and the aforementioned trio of office towers, which will form the backbone of this city-building masterplan.

Generali Tower celebrates its topping off ceremony, image via CityLife

Seen in the image above at the time of its recent topping-off ceremony, the Generali Tower and its two sibling towers will soar above the surrounding Milan skyline. Below, as captured a few weeks prior to topping off, the Generali Tower can be seen in context within the CityLife Development, with mid-rise residences visible to its left and the recently completed 50-storey office complex known as Il Ditto ("The Finger"), seen to the right. Lo Storto and Il Ditto will be joined by a third 28-storey office tower, to be known as Il Curvo ("The Curved").

CityLife on the rise, image via CityLife

The Generali Tower will include 39 storeys of office space, housing 3,200 employees, above a five-storey shopping centre at its base. Lo Storto's signature twist is supported via the tower's impressive engineering, the torsional forces at play within the structure are redistributed throughout the height of the tower thanks to the slight realignment of each successive floor plate, which in turn allows the tower to achieve its unique look. More than just a pretty facade, the glass cladding of the Generali Tower has been designed to deflect the sun, which will allow for lower cooling costs, an innovation that contributes to the tower's anticipated LEED Platinum certification.

CityLife, left to right, Lo Storto, Il Curvo, and Il Ditto, image via Zaha Hadid Architects

Once complete, CityLife will be connected to the rest of Milan via the Tre Torri ("Three Towers") station on Line 5 of the Milan Metro. Integrated into the broader city, the CityLife Development promises to be an exciting addition to Milan, a sign of the city's ongoing redevelopment and urban revitalization.

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