St. Petersburg, Russia
Designed by Tony Kettle and his team at Kettle Collective, the new Lakhta Centre II is located on the outskirts of St Petersburg next to Europe’s tallest building, the Lakhta Center (462m), which is the headquarters of energy giant Gazprom.
Kettle was the design architect for the first Lakhta Center when he worked at the architectural firm RMJM, winning a competition in 2006.
The spiraling exterior columns would form an “open organic helical diagrid.”
“The design is both aesthetic and functional as it will reduce considerable wind forces that will impact the structure, in turn reducing the size of structural elements required within the building,” says Kettle.
“The tower is born out of a daring idea that has been inspired by the energy in all of its forms, from helical waves generated around deep space quasars to the spirals of wave energy,” he continues.
“The outer layer of the building is created from spiraling columns that form an open organic helical diagrid, while the structure is carved out by a series of spiral atriums shared with green vertical spaces.”
“The design is both aesthetic and functional as it will reduce considerable wind forces that will impact the structure, in turn reducing the size of structural elements required within the building.”
The build will include requirements universally recognized as essential for the office of the future -accommodation and relaxation spaces fulfilling the ‘live, work, and play’ needed in a 21st-century business center.
According to Kettle, the new tower will be “a template of sustainable design for global high-rise projects” with features that include multi-car lifts powered by energy generated by their own movement.
“It will have the best in class low energy design and a mix of uses that will create a vertical atrium space with a vibrant centre as the heart for this new business district.”
“It will have the best-in-class low energy design and a mix of uses that will create a vertical atrium space with a vibrant centre as the heart for this new business district,” states Kettle.
The tower will include requirements universally recognized as essential for the office of the future -accommodation and relaxation spaces fulfilling the ‘live, work, and play’ needed in a 21st-century business center.
“Given its prominence and celebration of energy and sustainability, this project will be more than a city landmark, it will have national significance showcasing Russia on the world stage, as an investor in business, innovation and creative thinking,” says Kettle’s managing director, Colin Bone.
“This is a hugely significant partnership for our studio and has come at a time of considerable global challenge, not just for Kettle Collective but for our industry as we navigate the impact of the pandemic.”
“It highlights our extensive experience in the design of new buildings and communities across the world that are not only truly sustainable, but that celebrates the place.”
Project: Lakhta Centre II
Designers: Kettle Collective
