St Petersburg Building:
Gazprom's new headquarters, St. Petersburg

RMJM Architects win
Okhta Tower


image: courtesy of RMJM/Copyright www.glocg.com

The tower will change color up to 10 times per day, depending on the position of the sun, 300m tall twisting glass tower over 75 floors already nicknamed "corn on the cob" 041206.


image: courtesy of RMJM/Copyright www.glocg.com

St. Petersburg television tower, for comparison, is 311m high

Gazprom headquarters winner - decision re winning architect was announced 1 Dec.
The shortlist was a who's who of international architecture: Massimiliano Fuksas, Herzog & de Meuron, Rem Koolhaas, Daniel Libeskind, Jean Nouvel, RMJM Architects.

Gazprom Tower : current images

Gazprom HQ winner : RMJM Architects

RMJM Scoops Gazprom HQ Project in St Petersburg

RMJM Architects - PR Dec06:

UK Firm Beats Off Renowned Shortlist to Clinch Multi-Million Project

UK-based international architectural firm RMJM has been appointed to design the new headquarters of one of the world’s largest companies – Russian gas giant Gazprom. RMJM’s 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 Smolny Cathedral.

Tony Kettle, UK Managing Director of RMJM and lead architect on the project, commented: “Winning the prestigious commission to design Gazprom’s new headquarter building in St Petersburg is wonderful news for RMJM. There has been much debate and opposition to introducing a building of this height to St Petersburg, but when you consider Paris, a city with an equally precious environment, it has been made even more special by the 324 metre high Eiffel Tower.

“I think that the quality of the tower’s design and its exclusive nature is critical here and we firmly believe that our design truly works for the city, St Petersburg is not the place to create a collection of towers like Manhattan or Paris’ La Defense. We have created something quite unique and timeless, a beautiful landmark for the city which will also set new standards for energy conservation and sustainability. Gazprom is one of the world’s most important energy companies and it is fitting that in a city of spires, this new spire should symbolise the importance of energy.”

The inspiration for the RMJM’s design came 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. The five-sided tower twists as it rises to delicately touch the sky.

The announcement comes on the day that RMJM opens its first office in Moscow.

The practice was awarded the prestigious City Palace Tower contract in the country’s capital city earlier this year as well as ongoing high-quality leisure, residential and commercial projects across Russia. These activities have raised the company’s profile and led to the decision to put down more permanent roots in Moscow. It takes the firm’s total number of offices worldwide to 11.

Gazprom HQ St Petersburg - RMJM Architects: PR received 051206

The St. Petersburg Union of Architects refused to be involved in the Gazprom Design Competition.

The majority of St Petersburg residents appear to be not in favour of the tower.

Kisho Kurokawa, who is working as an architect on a major project in St. Petersburg, Norman Foster and Rafael Vinoly resigned from the Gazprom Competition jury before the announcement following viewing of the shortlisted tower designs. All three architects resigned from the jury.

Gazprom Tower - jury member : Norman Foster



Moscow Skyscraper
46 storey tower
RMJM Architects
located close to Foster & Partners' 'tallest tower in Europe' proposal

St Petersburg buildings

Gazprom HQ Competition jury member : Rafael Vinoly



World Architecture : e-architect - a guide to key buildings across the globe

Russian Tower : Crystal Island

Moscow Tower : Russia Tower

Gazprom Tower winner : RMJM Architects

Buildings / photos for the St Petersburg Architecture page welcome:
info@e-architect.co.uk

Gazprom headquarters, St Petersburg : page - adrian welch / isabelle lomholt