Located in the heart of Tornado Alley, Tulsa, Oklahoma, is no stranger to severe weather; 76 twisters have torn through the surrounding county since 1950. But soon the city might be introduced to a different kind of tornado—one of metal and glass. A new design for a funnel-shaped skyscraper proposed by Kinslow, Keith & Todd draws inspiration from tornadoes’ powerful forms.
Plans for the tower's exterior include a combination of perforated metal, glass, and LED lights that makes it seem as if the tower were spinning. Yet not all the whirling is an illusion: A rotating restaurant on the top floor of the 250-to-300-foot-tall structure would give diners a 360-degree view of the city, the Arkansas River, and the Osage Hills.
The tower would also be home to Oklahoma’s first severe-weather museum, a weather research center, a roof garden, classrooms, convention spaces, and more. Though the design is just an idea for now, it has spun up great interest, from real-estate developers to meteorologists.
