The Lakhta Center has been Europe’s tallest building for just two years, but there are already plans to usurp it by its ‘baby brother’.
The Lakhta Center II, named after the current titleholder, will be built in St Petersburg and measuring at 703 metres, it will seize the crown of Europe’s current tallest building from the existing Lakhta Center, which only opened in 2019.
The impressive building will not only tower over every other building in Europe, but it is also set to be the second-highest skyscraper in the entire world.
The colossal high-rise will be beaten in height only by Dubai’s famous Burj Khalifa, which stands at a mighty 828 metres and boasts 163 floors.
The Lakhta Center II (pictured) will be built in St Petersburg and measuring at 703 metres, it will be the second highest skyscraper in the world
The proposed building (pictured) will seize the title of second-tallest building in the world from China’s Shangai Tower, which is 632 metres tall and dominates the skyline of Shanghai’s financial district
The towering skyscraper will be beaten in height only by Dubai’s famous Burj Khalifa (pictured), which stands at a mighty 828 metres and boasts 163 floors
The proposed building will seize the title of second-tallest building in the world from China’s Shangai Tower, which is 632 metres tall and dominates the skyline of Shanghai’s financial district.
The Lakhta Center, which will be more than double the height of London’s Shard, will also boast the highest occupied floor and viewing gallery of any building in the world on its top floor at 590 metres.
The impressive building will contain approximately 220,000m2 of accommodation, which will be set over 150 floors, while the tower will also include multi-car lifts, powered by regenerating energy.
The skyscraper will be made up of eight segments of 16 floors, which will feature outstanding atrium spaces, shared public facilities and stunning green spaces for residents and visitors.
The unique building has been described as a ‘vertical urban environment’ which is similar to a low-rise development, but without any need for car transport.
The new Lakhta Center II will stand next to the current tallest building in Russia and the whole of Europe – the original Lakhta Center, which is the headquarters for energy giant Gazprom.
The Lakhta Center (above: picture of what it will look like when erected on St Petersburg skyline) which will be more than double the height of London’s Shard, will boast the highest occupied floor and viewing gallery in the world at 590 metres
The new Lakhta Center II (pictured) will stand next to the current tallest building in Russia and the whole of Europe – the original Lakhta Center
The existing Lakhta Center, which measures 462 metres and is 87 storeys tall, will see itself knocked out of its position as the tallest building in Europe when the new-and-improved building is erected.
The original Lakhta Center was St Petersburg’s first ‘supertall’ tower, which is defined as a building measuring more than 300 metres, and is reportedly the most northernmost skyscraper in the world.
The impressive building is also one of the world’s tallest examples of a ‘twisted’ skyscraper designs as it twists 90 degrees from bottom to top, resembling a winding needle.
The two buildings are set to stand alongside one another on the outskirts of St Petersburg and will impressively frame the city’s skyline, multi-award winning architects Kettle Collective confirmed.
The brand-new tower will feature accommodation sprawled across 150 floors and will include both office and relaxation to fulfil the ‘live, work, and play’ needed in a 21st century business center.
The modernist skyscraper will feature picturesque spiralling columns running up the length of the 703-metre building and is set to stand out in St Petersburg’s stunning skyline.
Tony Kettle, who was also behind the Falkirk Wheel, designed the Lakhta Center when he worked at major architectural firm RMJM, soon after creating the winning design for the Gazprom tower in 2006.
Mr Kettle, who formed Kettle Collective in 2012 to create high performance and energy efficient designs, said the new Lakhta Center ‘will be a template of sustainable design for global high-rise projects’.
The architect explained: ‘The tower is born out of a daring idea that has been inspired by energy in all of its forms, from helical waves generated around deep space quasars to the spirals of wave energy.
‘The outer layer of the building is created from spiralling 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.’
‘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 celebrate the place.’