Okhta Tower, St Petersburg, Gazprom Building, Architect, Lakhta Centre Design, News
Gazprom Tower, St Petersburg : Lakhta Centre
Russian HQ Building – design by RMJM Architects
3 Sep 2012
Gazprom Tower News
St. Petersburg officials have reportedly granted approval to Gazprom’s long-delayed Lakhta Centre, a 500 m (1,640 ft) building, according to AFP. Previous attempts to construct the building failed, in part, due to preservation groups’ opposition. Due to complete in 2016.
Lakhta Centre – Gazprom Tower, St Petersburg, Russia : RMJM Architects
image : courtesy of RMJM
29 Apr 2011
Gazprom Tower Architect News
Europe’s tallest tower proposal may not be designed by RMJM Architects according to reports.
The 403 meters high main tower of Okhta Centre is set to be the tallest building in Europe amongst live building proposals.
In December 2010, Governor Matviyenko announced that the project plan on the Okhta site was abandoned and will be built in the outskirts of the city.
Okhta Tower, St Petersburg
2007-
RMJM Architects
15 Oct 2010
Gazprom Building – Okhta Tower Approval News
Gazprom said it has been cleared by Russian authorities to build a tower in the historic heart of St Petersburg despite a wide campaign to defend the unique skyline of Russia’s second-biggest city. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2011 and finish in 2016.
4 Jun 2010
Gazprom Tower – Building Opposition News
Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has written a letter to St Petersburg officials warning them to take cogniscance of UNESCO’s concerns over the Okhta Tower designed by RMJM.
images from RMJM Architects
Gazprom Building News Update Sep 2009
Stormy meeting on 1 Sep with protestors removed by force
Gazprom Building News Update Aug 2009
UNESCO World Heritage Committee expresses its “grave concern that the proposed Okhta Centre Tower could affect the Outstanding Universal Value of the property…and requests the State Party to suspend work on this project and submit modified designs”. The warning from UNESCO is that St. Petersburg could lose its world heritage status.
Gazprom Building News Update Jan 2009
Gazprom to fully fund the development now that the city won’t be helping. Planning submission is due in Spring with start on site at the end of 2009.
View across the sea to St Petersburg
image from RMJM Architects
Gazprom Tower Building Postponement News
The New York Times report (Nov 2008) that The mayor of St. Petersburg has submitted an amendment to next year’s budget to cut money for the city’s first skyscraper.
The economic situation is partly to blame, with Gazprom’s shares dropping heavily since the tower was mooted, but it seems city finance is being redirected to a football stadium (echoing Cardiff’s move to finance a sports stadium rather than Zaha Hadid’s opera house).
Gazprom New Headquarters – Building Information
Location: St Petersburg, Russia
Client: Gazprom
Size: 77 storeys
Year: 2006-16
Height: 1,299 ft
Okhta Tower design : RMJM Architects
image from RMJM Architects
Okhta Tower, St Petersburg
RMJM was appointed to design the new headquarters of one of the world’s largest companies – Russian gas giant Gazprom in December 2006.
The winning proposal is a 396 metre high twisting, glass needle which echoes the spires across the city of St Petersburg.
RMJM beat off 5 other internationally-renowned architects for the commission to develop proposals for the tower in the historic heart of the city, close to the Bolsheokhtinsky Bridge and across the Neva River from the Smolny Cathedral. RMJM’s designs for the development propose a new spire for the city.
The inspiration for the design comes from the concept of energy in water – the site is located on the city’s main waterway the River Neva, with the form of the building deriving its shape from the changing nature of water, ever changing light, reflections and refraction.
Interior images:
images from RMJM Architects
The five-sided tower twists as it rises to delicately touch the sky. RMJM’s proposal for the headquarters development also features a unique environmental strategy, which acts as a low energy ‘fur coat’. The double layered skin of the tower will allow the maximisation of daylight and the minimisation of heat loss in the extreme St Petersburg environment.
image : courtesy of RMJM/Copyright www.glocg.com
Gazprom headquarters shortlist was a who’s who of international architecture: Massimiliano Fuksas, Herzog & de Meuron, Rem Koolhaas, Daniel Libeskind, Jean Nouvel, RMJM Architects
Gazprom Tower jury member : Norman Foster
A czarist-era rule specified that no structure, other than a church spire, should exceed the height of the city’s Winter Palace, now the Hermitage Museum.
Zoning restrictions for the site prior to the Gazprom tower project were set at 138 ft.
Okhta Tower Competition : Background to the Gazprom Competition
Location: St Petersburg, Russia
Architecture in Russia
Russian Architecture Designs – chronological list
Gazprom HQ Competition jury member : Rafael Vinoly
St Petersburg Architecture Walking Tours by e-architect
Russian Architecture Walking Tours
Samara Masterplan Design Competition Winner
First prize – design by KPMG JSC:
image courtesy of architects
Samara Masterplan Design Competition Winner
New Holland Island St Petersburg by Foster + Partners
Gazprom Tower winner : RMJM Architects
City Palace Tower, Moscow
RMJM Architects
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Crystal Island Moscow
Foster + Partners
Crystal Island Tower
Russia Tower, Moscow
Foster + Partners
Russia Tower
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