Architects Claim Gazprom Tower Fits Into City Skyline
By Irina Titova
Staff Writer
The height of the controversial Okhta Tower skyscraper, to be constructed for energy giant Gazprom’s headquarters in St. Petersburg, is governed by harmonious proportions and functionality, its architects said in St. Petersburg on Tuesday. At a planned 396 meters high — putting it among the tallest buildings in the world — the scale of the tower has prompted fears among city residents that it would ruin St. Petersburg’s traditionally low-rise skyline. “Our analysis showed that such a height would exactly meet the proportions of the building,” said Tony Kettle, international design director of RMJM, the British company that won the tender to design Okhta Center which includes the tower. “Let’s keep St. Petersburg evolving because it’s time for evolution!” Kettle said. Kettle said that when Gazprom announced the tender for the design of the center, it asked that the construction of a tower be included at a height of about 300 meters. However, RMJM’s calculations showed the expediency of a taller building, with 67 floors. UNESCO, the UN cultural body that lists St. Petersburg on its list of World Heritage sites, has also expressed concern about the aesthetic effects of the skyscraper. Kettle said that when RMJM’s architects developed the project, they took into consideration the city’s architectural style by trying to make the tower look natural. “The historical part of the city is based on vertical dominants against the main horizontal line,” Kettle said. The existing “vertical dominants” include the spire of the Peter and Paul Cathedral, St. Isaac’s Cathedral, the TV tower — the tallest structure in the city at 310 meters high — and a number of other sites, he said. Kettle said the tower, to be built on the edge of the historical center of the city, will barely be seen from the city center itself. It won’t be seen from Palace Square or St. Isaac’s Square, and will look well-proportioned from many other historical places. Another reason for the construction of an impressive business center is that “Gazprom is important to Russia and it should be celebrated,” Kettle said. “Gazprom is the largest gas producing company in the world, and it makes 20 percent of total world gas production,” he said. “It’s significant and you shouldn’t hide it.” The third reason for the construction of the center is that it will regenerate the rundown Okhta district, he said. The construction of Okhta Center — dubbed Gazilla by opponents — is to begin in May, the center’s administration said. “From Dec. 14 through Jan. 14 we’ll be having public hearings about the timetable for construction, and on Jan. 20 we’ll begin hearings on the land survey,” Nikolai Tanayev, chief executive of Okhta Center, said. Tanayev said that in the meantime, the city administration is also planning to meet with UNESCO representatives. Boris Vishnevsky, a member of the Yabloko party which strongly protested the construction of the center on the border with the historical center of the city, said the party is still negative about the project. “We love our city and we think this construction will make it look ugly forever,” Vishnevsky said. “If they want to have this center as it is, it should be built on the outskirts.” “Yabloko will continue to protest the project, and we want to organize a referendum on the issue,” Vishnevsky said. The tower itself is to be mainly made of special glass that will reflect the movement of water in the River Neva, the sky, and the surrounding area. It will also make the tower change color. The tower will house Gazprom offices, offices of other businesses, conference halls, and an observation deck on its upper floors. “I’m sure the magnificent views open from the tower will attract many tourists there,” Kettle said. The Okhta Center, which is to occupy 77 hectares, will also include a cultural and concert center, as well as a number of other buildings for offices, renovated roads and green areas.
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