Completed in July 2005, the unique structure known as Torre Agbar is the newest sensation in the Barcelona skyline. Though its interesting shape and design was originally met with much dissension, the unusual building has now become dear to the hearts of most Barcelona citizens.
he new headquarters for Aguas de Barcelona (Agbar), the municipal water company, Torre Agbar rises into the sky at 34 stories tall and 142 meters (466 feet) in height. Designed by Frenchman Jean Nouvel, the architect believes that the tower is “a distant echo of old Catalan obsessions, carried on the winds that blow in from Montserrat.” Often referred to as a geyser, Torre Agbar was inspired by the architectural legacy of Spain’s Antoni Gaudi.

Technically, the building is made up of two non-concentric oval cylinders topped by a glass and steel dome. There are no internal columns in the structure, but rather, the building’s services and emergency stairwells are located in the central concrete core.