ST. PETERSBURG | Lakhta Center | 463 M / 1,517 FT | 86 FLOORS

[bunker6]

The construction of the first supertall in Saint-Petersburg, Russia, seems to be finally approved after almost a year of rows and bitter dispute (there was a lot of objection based on the fact the tower would damage the value of the famous UNESCO world heritage site) and should be complete by 2012.
http://www.bunker6.com/pictures/oc/ocp.jpg
The winning proposal is by RMJM, a 396 meters tall tower right at the junction of Neva and Ohta (Okhta) rivers (last giving the name for the project), just a mile out of the historical center of the city, is going to be 51% sponsored by Gazpromneft, an oil branch of Gazprom (world's sixth company by market capitalization) and 49% by the city. The complex will be raised on the territory of a shipbuilding plant currently being demolished, right on the remains (little remained) of an Nyenschantz fortress built 1611, making a strong link between the city's past and future.
http://www.bunker6.com/pictures/oc/ocs.jpg
construction site, from the bridge seen on the first pic

Current status: demolition and clean-up at the site.

Notes:
- Saint-Petersburg is Russia's second-largest city with 5 millions population, a home to some of Russia's top companies.
- Saint-Petersburg is famous for it's historical center, making it one of the world' most beautiful cities, with long granite embankments, baroque imperial palaces, magnificent churches, boulevards, parks, monuments.
- Highrise construction was banned in the city because «it could ruine the historical value of the site».
- Originally it was stated that the Ohta Center is going to be the only tower in the area but just a few weeks ago one of Saint-Petersburg banks got a final approval for construction of a 200 m. tower just a couple blocks away.
- the shape of the tower was inspired by the Nyenschantz fortress, the 5-edged spiral would rise from the basement lying on the fortress walls. The basement floor will feature a museum of the fortress, which will be preserved intact.

[Fabb]

The spiralling is more elegant than those by Calatrava.

[T1000]

It looks great. I don't think it will damage the site, quite the opposite. It adds more to it. Sadly I won't see anything like this back here for a long time. They just rejected the build of two 300 meter twin towers just one block away from where I'm living:hell: Whatever. Do you know how many floors it'll have?

[Stephenapolis]

I really love all of these spiraling design that are being built. This is one of the best ones yet.

[bunker6]

update: demolition is complete, now they do site cleanup and appraisal drilling. The city lies on unstable soils, however, there should be a great deal of granite rock down there, 150—200 feet deep.

[Fabb]

I wonder if it'll end up being super-reflective like the rendering shows.
The cladding seems to give no indication of floors or structure underneath.

[alphawolf]

I can see some great shots being made from across the river when this thing gets some elevation.

[sfguy]

It looks great. I don't think it will damage the site, quite the opposite. It adds more to it. Sadly I won't see anything like this back here for a long time. They just rejected the build of two 300 meter twin towers just one block away from where I'm living:hell: Whatever. Do you know how many floors it'll have?

According to the SkyscraperPage entry for this tower, it will have 77 floors.
http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=57474

[CoolCzech]

The spiralling is more elegant than those by Calatrava.


The word "derivative" comes to mind.

[Hoplite330]

According to the SkyscraperPage entry for this tower, it will have 77 floors.
http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=57474

77 floors for a 1200'+ building? That sounds a bit weird.

[Xeelee]

this is a nice tower. :)

[Lecom]

the tower would damage the value of the famous UNESCO world heritage site
It will. Shame that the rich oilbags bullied the city into allowing this to pass. At least the tower design is beautiful though. All in all, I'll reserve my judgement till we see the finished product, or at least more renders from various angles. Perhaps this one will be an iconic beacon for the city in the same way the Admiralty Spire has historically been - one of the landmarks that the preservationists are worrying about.

[sfguy]

77 floors for a 1200'+ building? That sounds a bit weird.

Well, the link I provided states that 396 m(1,299 ft) is the height of the spire, but that the roof height will be 327 m(1,073 ft), and 77 floors is a fairly common floor count for a height like that.

[Anders Franzén]

Here's an article about it. In Swedish but they mainly cite the criticism already known. A new picture though.

http://www.dn.se/ekonomi/gazprom-far-bygga-kontroversiell-skyskrapa-1.958107


Now, Can someone get me todays prize for bumping the oldest thread!?

[Gamma-Hamster]

http://www.russiatoday.com/Top_News/2009-09-23/gazprom-tower-skyscraper-controversy.html

Russia's natural gas giant Gazprom has won approval to build a company skyscraper in St. Petersburg. The new Okhta Center’s 403-meter tower will be among the tallest buildings in the world.

Constuction will start in march-april 2010.

[Gamma-Hamster]

http://www.business24-7.ae/Articles/2009/9/Pages/13092009/09142009_d10d0021efb44ee58dc81db95065d666.aspx

Arabtec initiates foundation tests for Okhta project

Arabtec has started conducting tests for the foundations on its Okhta project in Russia, according to the company's chief financial officer.

"The actual construction on the foundation will start soon after the tests are finished before the end of the year. By then the design will be finalised on the main building and the project. The building permits will be granted before Christmas or New Year. By March or April 2010, when the permits are in place, the structure is finalised, the specifications are approved and the weather permitting, we will start work on the main construction," he added.

[malec]

Here's a video showing more of the detailed structure, etc.

<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ixOU7qModlI&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ixOU7qModlI&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>

[Gamma-Hamster]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8272401.stm

The UN's cultural watchdog has called on Russia to stop a 400m (1,312 ft) skyscraper being built in historic St Petersburg's city centre.

Ffs, UN, go feed some african children and leave us alone.

[Gamma-Hamster]

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=44028472&postcount=1099

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/3805/vassiliy2005.43/0_3158b_fe15b9c4_orig

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/3708/vassiliy2005.43/0_3158f_9ebbb14e_orig

[SkyscrapersOfNewYork]

......................
Russian High Court Rules Against St. Petersburg Skyscraper

The skyscraper would have been St. Petersburg's first
July 23, 2010
MOSCOW -- The Russian Constitutional Court has ruled against the construction of the controversial Okhta Center skyscraper in St. Petersburg's historic downtown, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports.

The court argued on July 22 that when approving construction projects in the historical part of the city, St. Petersburg's city government should adhere to Russian law as well as international laws on cultural-heritage preservation.

Boris Vishnevsky, a member of the opposition party Yabloko, told RFE/RL that he hopes the judgment will serve as a precedent for any future suits.

"In the judgment it is written in black and white that all building measurements are [to be] set down by the Russian Commission of Cultural Preservation -- and the commission does not approve a 100-meter high tower, not to mention one that is 400 meters tall," Vishnevsky said.

Plans for the 400-meter skyscraper have generated controversy since they were first unveiled in 2006. The Okhta Center would have been the first skyscraper in St. Petersburg.

UNESCO, the UN's cultural organization, wrote several letters to St. Petersburg's government warning that construction of the building could endanger St. Petersburg's status on UNESCO's World Heritage list.

http://www.rferl.org/content/Russian_High_Court_Rules_Against_St_Petersburg_Skyscraper_/2107667.html

http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/news_images/RMJM%20Gazprom%20sunset%20image.jpg
http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/news_images/RMJM%20Gazprom%20sunset%20image.jpg
http://www.architectmagazine.com/Images/tmp43F6.tmp_tcm20-140940.jpg
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.architectmagazine.com/Images/tmp43F6.tmp_tcm20-140940.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.architectmagazine.com/design/the-house-of-morrison.aspx&usg=__juijdSHIJbfyJUYRHKKZPBYwoUI=&h=2199&w=1200&sz=490&hl=en&start=0&tbnid=tych86Yqon2TgM:&tbnh=145&tbnw=77&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dokhta%2Bcenter%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26biw%3D1680%26bih%3D775%26tbs%3Disch:1,isz:l&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=224&ei=g6BLTOOQF4OC8gbQ1tUy&page=1&ndsp=39&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0

[cityguy]

I guess that the end of that!

[sashyenka]

And good riddance. Much as I (and we all, right? that is what this forum is about, after all) enjoy skyscrapers, Saint Petersburg is really not the place for a tower like this to be built. Moscow, sure, but not Saint Petersburg.

[Gamma-Hamster]

Russian High Court Rules Against St. Petersburg Skyscraper


Nope, Russian High Court rules nothing like that.

[Hed Kandi]

..

[SkyscrapersOfNewYork]

:previous:

i agree it would fit Moscow's skyline perfectly

[JohnFlint1985]

I hope this decision is final

[JohnFlint1985]

And good riddance. Much as I (and we all, right? that is what this forum is about, after all) enjoy skyscrapers, Saint Petersburg is really not the place for a tower like this to be built. Moscow, sure, but not Saint Petersburg.

there are plenty of places on the outskirts of the historical center to build the tower. It is just that Gazprom wants it there and no one has balls to stand up to them since Gazprom is the main company in Russia, main currency producer and also a huge geopolitical source of power for the Russian state.

[Gamma-Hamster]

http://www.emirates247.com/property/real-estate/st-petersburg-tower-cleared-for-arabtec-2010-10-11-1.302540

St Petersburg Tower cleared for Arabtec

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.
"
According to a conclusion by GlavGosExperetiza (the Russian state appraisals department), the project's documentation complies with all requirements and standards," a Gazprom unit in charge of the construction said in a statement.

Dubai's Arabtec Holding, which won the contract to build the first stage of the tower in April 2008, saw its shares rally on the news.
Construction is expected to begin in spring 2011 and finish in 2016.

[Gamma-Hamster]

Construction will start in spring-summer 2011

http://translate.google.ru/translate?hl=ru&sl=ru&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fasninfo.ru%2Fasn%2F57%2F35947

[kiwi4life]

right on!! great to hear, will be a good project

[Infernal_Elf]

i also agree that they should try to avoid the historic center of st peterburg considering its a very large city. with no tall building at all wich makes it rather special


this even tho being a stunning design will certantly change that forever and will transform the city centre very much. certant city cores should remain untouched

[Gamma-Hamster]

http://www.fontanka.ru/2010/12/09/113/

F*ck, "defenders of historical St. Petersburg" won. Current project is cancelled and construction is moved to another site. :(

It is not even known if new project will be a skyscraper.

[Gamma-Hamster]

http://themoscownews.com/russia/20101209/188268494.html



Gazprom tower to be moved from central St. Petersburg
by Tom Washington at 09/12/2010 18:26


St. Petersburg’s historic skyline looks safe, after Gazprom’s planned sky-scraper has been given the push from the northern capital’s centre.

Petersburg City Hall announced on Wednesday that a new place to build will be decided soon, one week after mayor Valentina Matvienyenko told builders to steer clear of the UNESCO world heritage designated centre.

[SD_Phil]

this is not a bad thing. nice tower, hope it finds a home

[M II A II R II K]

St Petersburg's tower to the sky fails to get off the ground


http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/architecture/st-petersburgs-tower-to-the-sky-fails-to-get-off-the-ground-2166500.html


- This week, after months of uncertainty and contradictory statements from high-ranking Russian politicians, the final nail seems to have been hammered into the coffin of the project. A St Petersburg court ruled that limits on the height of new buildings on the embankment of the Okhta River, just outside the historical city centre, would be reintroduced. They had controversially been lifted by the city authorities to smooth the path for the Gazprom project. Now, no new structures in the area will be able to exceed 40m in height.

This means that there is no place for the Okhta Centre, designed by British architectural firm RMJM. The sleek, glass-clad structure, at 403m high, would have been the tallest building in Europe and more than 10 times over the new maximum height. St Petersburg was seen as a symbolic choice for the HQ of Gazprom – a behemoth of a company that more than any other has been the driving force behind Russia's resource-based economic boom.




http://www.independent.co.uk/multimedia/dynamic/00521/pg-22-st-petersburg_521166t.jpg

[SkyscrapersOfNewYork]

Gazprom may build Okhta tower in northern St. Petersburg

A subsidiary of the Russian energy giant Gazprom has bought a plot of land in the northern part of St. Petersburg where it may build a 400-meter tall skyscraper.
A spokeswoman for the Okhta Business Center company said the construction of the Okhta Business Center on a plot of 140,000 square meters in St. Petersburg's Primorsky District is yet to be approved.
Plans by Russia's gas monopoly Gazprom to build a complex of office buildings dominated by a needle-like skyscraper, derisively dubbed the Gazoscraper, prompted fierce public opposition. Critics feared that the tower, which was to go up next to the 18th century Smolny Cathedral, may ruin St. Petersburg's unique low-rise skyline.
The plan was abandoned following objections from UNESCO and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
Gazprom, which reportedly invested about seven billion rubles ($245.5 million) into the project, earlier said the business center project should be changed as it was designed specifically for the location in the city center.
"Naturally, the project needs to be changed. I have no idea of who will do it. Our design company received no orders, the existing contract concerns only the previous location," the project's architect, Philipp Nikandrov, said.
"The tower itself may be built in another location, but its surroundings should be adjusted," he added.
ST. PETERSBURG, March 10 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/images/16294/48/162944863.jpg
http://en.rian.ru/images/16294/48/162944863.jpg

[HomeInMyShoes]

That is super pointy.

[Gamma-Hamster]

There are rumours that documentation submited for a new plot states the maximum height as 500m.

[Gamma-Hamster]

Renders on a new plot:

http://www.fontanka.ru/2011/06/17/195/

http://www.fontanka.ru/mm/items/2011/6/17/0155/main3.jpg

http://www.fontanka.ru/mm/items/2011/6/17/0154/mini4.jpg

http://www.fontanka.ru/mm/items/2011/6/17/0146/ready01.jpg

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/4514/fotosait99.a9/0_48cb1_bcd4821d_XXL

[Dylan Leblanc]

New map location - http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/maps/?cityID=899&lat=59.9869672732&lng=30.1781129837&z=15&t=k

[MolsonExport]

the mother of all sore thumbs.

[Gamma-Hamster]

http://www.sptimes.ru/story/34162

Last month, the Okhta Public Business Center, Gazprom’s subsidiary that is in charge of the project, announced the planned skyscraper would be even higher than the 403-meter one designed for Okhta, reaching 500 meters. The plans are to have the British architectural bureau RMJM’s original project of a spiraling glass tower reworked and extended.

[Obey]

Cool proposal.

[Gamma-Hamster]

http://proektvlahte.ru/

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6504/11147892.a1/0_73ba6_28e46989_XXXL.jpg

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6606/11147892.a1/0_73ba8_5e7481c5_XXXL.jpg

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6608/11147892.a1/0_73ba3_3b941f1c_XXXL.jpg

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6604/11147892.a1/0_73ba2_743e1875_XXXL.jpg

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6406/11147892.a1/0_73ba1_d9e54dc5_XXXL.jpg

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6607/11147892.a1/0_73b9e_a59e1b68_XXXL.jpg

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6607/11147892.a0/0_73b97_d83d17a0_XXXL.jpg

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6506/11147892.a1/0_73b99_4192834_XXXL.jpg

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6606/11147892.a1/0_73b9a_5351b727_XXXL.jpg

[Gamma-Hamster]

Please change title to:

ST. PETERSBURG | Lakhta Center | 462 M | 86 FLOORS | SITE PREP

[Gamma-Hamster]

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20120831/175548210.html

Gazprom to Begin St. Petersburg Skyscraper in October

23:04 31/08/2012

Construction of Gazprom’s 463-meter tall Lakhta Center complex in St. Petersburg will begin in October, the head of the Gazprom subsidiary in charge of the project said.

Gazprom received permission from the city to build the skyscraper complex on the shore of the Gulf of Finland earlier in August.

The site is nine kilometers from the city center. An earlier proposal to build in downtown St. Petersburg, at Okhta Cape, had to be scrapped in the face of stiff public opposition.

“Construction will proceed in phases,” said Alexander Bobkov, the head of ZAO Okhta Public and Business Center, which is overseeing construction of the complex.

“The tower itself will take the longest to build. I think we will break ground in October, since there are no legal or technical issues,” Bobkov said.

The 334,000-square meter complex will serve as the headquarters for Gazprom’s oil arm, Gazprom Neft, and other Gazprom subsidiaries.

Construction is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2018.

[Duck From NY]

Does anyone else think that these cities without skyscrapers (or without many) should start by building up some density before going ahead with these supertalls?

[Thefigman]

Does anyone else think that these cities without skyscrapers (or without many) should start by building up some density before going ahead with these supertalls?

Based on the renderings above I'd say that there is no expectation for density at this site because there is no room for it.

In general, I would think that these type of buildings are put in place to help gather other developers to put density in around the site.

[Hypothalamus]

Under Construction:

ST. PETERSBURG | Lakhta Center | 462.5 M / 1517 FT | 86 FLOORS
(per Skyscraper Center (http://www.skyscrapercenter.com/st.-petersburg/lakhta-center/12575/))


As of April 16th, 2014...

http://s020.radikal.ru/i714/1404/e6/0b0caed6bc1e.jpg
By Лахта центр (https://vk.com/lahtacenter?z=photo-23975708_327099420%2Falbum-23975708_00%2Frev)

[P2000]

Main Tower possible ON HOLD!!!

June:
http://s020.radikal.ru/i714/1407/08/faa991b9dd90.jpg

August:
http://cs624328.vk.me/v624328447/27b/RZeSrJ6xteM.jpg

[toxteth o'grady]

I like it better as a hole. Kind of a reverse Pentagon.

[Urbannizer]

The tower is still u/c

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=126989072&postcount=1233

September 2015
https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/15589/112650174.51/0_b1ca2_997dcc46_orig
https://instagram.com/p/7dE0SdwSo4/?taken-by=lakhtacenter

Installation of the self-climbing formwork PERI ACS (Automatic Climbing System) for the construction of monolithic structures of the core of the “Lakhta center” tower.
Using external and internal platform ACS-R with a width of up to 8 meters.
Once the concrete has hardened sufficiently the formwork itself will rise up (in steps of one floor of the building) without involving cranes.

[tateyb]

Video Shows Foundation Work for Europe's Next Tallest Tower (http://skyrisecities.com/news/2016/02/video-shows-foundation-work-europes-next-tallest-tower)

A video recapping the construction progress of the landmark tower was recently posted to the Lakhta Center YouTube channel. Barely off the ground, the project has already broken records. In March 2015, 19,624 cubic metres of concrete were poured for the bottom slab of the box-shaped foundation. That procedure took the record for the largest continuous concrete pour in history from the Wilshire Grand Center in Los Angeles.

[O-tacular]

I like the tower but always hate it when supertalls are built in the middle of nowhere.

[NoirYorkCity]

Im really surprised this is still under construction despite their economic situation since crimea annexation... lot of foreign companies got withdrawn their activities from Russia which is created a large difference

[Urbannizer]

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=132411944&postcount=1428

Yesterday, 27.04.16.

https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/25939/163746493.41/0_3342d0_c20f9dd8_XXL.jpg

https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/29815/163746493.41/0_3342d1_69ab0f76_XXL.jpg

https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/126937/163746493.41/0_3342d2_9a918ab5_XXL.jpg

https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/62868/163746493.41/0_3342d3_580e981_XXL.jpg

https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/56099/163746493.41/0_3342d4_c02e3517_XXL.jpg

https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/61747/163746493.41/0_3342da_46223609_XXL.jpg

https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/108497/163746493.41/0_3342e0_3a7637d3_XXL.jpg

https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/62868/163746493.41/0_3342e1_81971f70_XXL.jpg

https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/62627/163746493.41/0_3342d5_7c364ef1_XXL.jpg

https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/93949/163746493.41/0_3342d7_714a8680_XXL.jpg

https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/61248/163746493.41/0_3342ec_a29a2f79_XXL.jpg

https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/57296/163746493.41/0_3342ed_2c296bdd_XXL.jpg

[excel]

Thanks for the update.

[Urbannizer]

KXXpwdGeT0I

[Nightsky]

Finally it starts to rise!

[illegal]

220 m +
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=421339&page=83

http://s018.radikal.ru/i502/1610/25/eb9792811662.jpg
Stanislav Zaburdaev (http://zaburdaev.ru/)


https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/40687/163746493.47/0_35aca3_df4c9beb_XXL.jpg

https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/176331/163746493.47/0_35aca4_78cc9b4b_XXL.jpg

https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/196010/163746493.47/0_35aca9_6425cdc4_XXL.jpg

https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/169451/163746493.47/0_35acb3_f1f08f73_XXL.jpg

https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/59977/163746493.47/0_35acad_ba8eba34_XXL.jpg

https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/194550/163746493.47/0_35acc0_3bb0d257_XXL.jpg

https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/170815/163746493.47/0_35acc5_70986c96_XXL.jpg

https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/196722/163746493.47/0_35acc6_87fc8a3f_XXL.jpg

https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/171750/163746493.47/0_35acc8_f03a2acc_XXL.jpg

https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/195561/163746493.47/0_35acca_7cf4508a_XXL.jpg

https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/45082/163746493.47/0_35accc_8f72a82b_XXL.jpg

https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/170627/163746493.47/0_35acc4_2ef200f_XXL.jpg

[Rhody]

Does anyone else think that these cities without skyscrapers (or without many) should start by building up some density before going ahead with these supertalls?

Always wondered this, just like in some locations in China where the construction site is surrounded by undeveloped grass/dirt lots. How did the real estate market and financing of a city go from no/few highrises to supporting a monster??

[excel]

Wow great update!

[mrnyc]

i like the glass on it -- it will be very fitting of the design i think.

[TechTalkGuy]

This is one beauty that I would love to see built. :tup:
Instant landmark status in any city of any country.

Current Construction Status:
http://lakhta.center/ui/img/stroyka.png
http://lakhta.center/ui/img/logo_en.png
Visual Presentation:
88OU80e_Z4s

[Kamuix]

Looking at it now reminds me of the Chicago Spire

[Zerton]

It looks so lonely out on its pier. I think this would look great in a city like San Francisco.

[5Gmuscovite]

http://lakhta.center/download/cam/shot.jpg

[Rbsanford]

http://lakhta.center/download/cam/shot.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/kCvP8u4h.jpg

[photoLith]

This is the strangest most out of place skyscraper, but I like it. Tallest in Europe I would imagine right?

[whiteford]

Beautiful tower

[LondonParis]

This is the strangest most out of place skyscraper, but I like it. Tallest in Europe I would imagine right?

Russia isn't Europe

[spidey7312]

Russia isn't Europe

This part of Russia is.

@photoLith it will be when completed.

[whiteford]

That is true; furthermore, the area of Russia that is considered to be in Europe is many times larger than scores of fully European countries. Take that and smoke it in your pipes. Then you have a area that you can consider Eurasian. On top of all this you're going to need to include a tiny strip of land that is purely Asian. Yes, Russian geography is vast, there's an astounding variety of land types​. Only the continent of Africa compares in this regard; however, Africa is a continent and Russia is a country. Geographically, I often think that it can only be accurate​ly described with the word, GARGANTUAN. ������

[Spocket]

Russia isn't Europe

Yeah, actually, it is. At least the part where the vast majority of the population lives.

[Gantz]

Does anyone else think that these cities without skyscrapers (or without many) should start by building up some density before going ahead with these supertalls?

St. Petersburg has height restrictions similar to Washington DC, so they can't build skyscrapers in the middle of the city. Also, St. Petersburg center city is dense and walkable and is a UNESCO world heritage site.

[Spocket]

Always wondered this, just like in some locations in China where the construction site is surrounded by undeveloped grass/dirt lots. How did the real estate market and financing of a city go from no/few highrises to supporting a monster??

Okay...a few things.

Firstly, these cities are an order of magnitude more dense than anything in North America or Oceania.

Secondly, the skyscrapers that do go up are usually limited by height restrictions. As such, you can either build a campus style building/set of buildings in the city or go for a taller single structure outside of it.

Lastly, they simply can't build these things in the city centers for any number of reasons. It's very rare for them to be built in the "middle of nowhere". It's a North American and Oceanic thing to have a single civic core. In most of the world, there may be a larger core but office space is generally spread throughout the city. That being the case, new showpieces tend to act as something of anchors for new residential developments in the area.

[The Best Forumer]

This is a good thing for a good city.

[Casa Granda]

This is a beautiful tower. I'm sure it will be very attractive

[Harley613]

Russia isn't Europe

Russia is as European as France or the UK, although they maintain vast and sparsely populated territory in Asia, East of the Urals. Read some Russian Classics by Dostoyevsky, Tolstoy, Pushkin, Turgenev...Their culture has long been European and remains so today.

[Crawford]

Russia is as European as France or the UK, although they maintain vast and sparsely populated territory in Asia, East of the Urals. Read some Russian Classics by Dostoyevsky, Tolstoy, Pushkin, Turgenev...Their culture has long been European and remains so today.

Russia isn't Europe. Yeah, part of it is technically part of the continent, but it has always been its own thing, culturally.

[mrnyc]

Okay...a few things.

Firstly, these cities are an order of magnitude more dense than anything in North America or Oceania.

Secondly, the skyscrapers that do go up are usually limited by height restrictions. As such, you can either build a campus style building/set of buildings in the city or go for a taller single structure outside of it.

Lastly, they simply can't build these things in the city centers for any number of reasons. It's very rare for them to be built in the "middle of nowhere". It's a North American and Oceanic thing to have a single civic core. In most of the world, there may be a larger core but office space is generally spread throughout the city. That being the case, new showpieces tend to act as something of anchors for new residential developments in the area.


yes, the american civic core is downtown. however, many, many american cities have more than one business hub and have offices spread around in nodes as well, although its true even those are probably more clustered together than europe. atlanta & houston are examples that come right to mind. columbus has downtown and then office buildings around the 'outer loop' for another common example. cleveland city traditionally had two downtowns and has a modern era business offices cluster on the edge of town. and of course, manhattan has downtown in the old civic core and then midtown for offices, etc, etc..

we'll have to wait and see if this st. pete tower sticking out around the bay spurs more development around the site. i can't imagine it won't.

[Spocket]

Russia isn't Europe. Yeah, part of it is technically part of the continent, but it has always been its own thing, culturally.

Sure but what stops you from saying the exact same thing about any other country in Europe? Germany does its own thing compared to the UK but it's when you compare these places to anywhere else on earth that their similarities outweigh their differences. There are plenty of people in the UK who want to argue that the UK isn't part of Europe. Really? Then where is it part of?

Russia is as European as any other country in Europe. Slight differences don't make it any less so.

[Harley613]

Russia isn't Europe. Yeah, part of it is technically part of the continent, but it has always been its own thing, culturally.

77% of Russians live in Europe. The 23% in Asia live in a largely Agrarian and Industrial society. The two hearts of Russian culture have long been St. Petersburg and Moscow, which are two very European cities...IN EUROPE. What you say doesn't make any sense.

[photoLith]

Russia isn't Europe. Yeah, part of it is technically part of the continent, but it has always been its own thing, culturally.

St. Petersburg is very very European, don't know what you're talking about.

[5Gmuscovite]

The skyscraper reached its final height of 462 meters.
St. Petersburg. January 30. INTERFAX NORTH-WEST - Builders have completed the installation of the spire of the Lakhta Center tower in St. Petersburg, the skyscraper reached its design height of 462 meters. https://youtu.be/E8SVCrh5-CI

[5Gmuscovite]

At the top of the "Lakhta Center" they installed a spire and lighted the lights https://topspb.tv/news/2018/01/29/na-vershine-lahta-centra-ustanovili-shpil-i-zazhgli-ogni/

[GWN]

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4771/40635830492_a4cc1aebdb_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24URfF7)
Lakhta Centre (https://flic.kr/p/24URfF7) by Nikolai Belikov (https://www.flickr.com/photos/153078842@N06/), on Flickr


https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4800/40743065711_588b4d99d3_b.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/photos/liendain/40743065711/)
P2242612 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/liendain/40743065711/) by Liendain (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156784619@N02/), on Flickr


https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4782/40033064464_dc4a58b230_b.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/photos/liendain/40033064464/)
Недействующая платформа Морская (https://www.flickr.com/photos/liendain/40033064464/) by Liendain (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156784619@N02/), on Flickr

[photoLith]

Holy Jesus, that first photo is freaking amazing.

[mousquet]

Holy Jesus, that first photo is freaking amazing.

It may be funny, it's a little awkward, actually...

I have this feeling that the supertall in a distance is shouting "je veux des amis !" (I want friends around me), then most cheap/standardized buildings in the foreground will be torn down in the end.
Heck, they're full of parked cars at their feet. It's boring. What's interesting about parked cars? Idk yet.

That's fair, normal evolution. There's no way conformist commieblocks and their parking lots would survive it.
Let them die.

[rofina]

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4771/40635830492_a4cc1aebdb_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24URfF7)
Lakhta Centre (https://flic.kr/p/24URfF7) by Nikolai Belikov (https://www.flickr.com/photos/153078842@N06/), on Flickr




Holy shit.

Looks like a space ship landed or something.

Unreal.

[Barney Greengrass]

It looks great as a singular monument IMHO. Quite a jewel, fitting for a city like St. Petersburg and its czarist history - kind of an elongated Fabergé egg.

[LanvinHomme]

It looks scary but also like a superhero tower/home or a massive weapon to destroy planets lol

[Zerton]

delete oops

[antoun]

Cranes have now descended to the ground. Nice to finally see the shape of this beautiful building.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1838/42060900215_9bf1ce55b2_b.jpg

Europe&#x27;s tallest building (https://flic.kr/p/275M7fK) by Andrius Venclova (https://www.flickr.com/photos/andrius_ru/), on Flickr

[aderwent]

Some good pictures in this article:

https://www.cnn.com/style/article/lakhta-center-europe-tallest-skyscraper/index.html

[antoun]

such a beautiful building

https://s8.hostingkartinok.com/uploads/images/2018/10/123f67c61fee50696a129cf41200a23e.jpg
© A. Galakhov

[photoLith]

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7836/33256187138_3e05dda905_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/SEJDNS)kpi9dXM (https://flic.kr/p/SEJDNS)
https://www.instagram.com/xensey/


https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7856/40166573183_7e3c1980fd_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24cobPR)sQj81EwX_Fw (https://flic.kr/p/24cobPR)
https://vk.com/tankizt


https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7822/47131723231_08c6749268_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2eNSpgM)1kWp1Vl (https://flic.kr/p/2eNSpgM) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsqAYQ4At9Z/

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7823/47131724251_40d8e41bde_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2eNSpzn)tVHaAaU (https://flic.kr/p/2eNSpzn)
https://www.instagram.com/p/BsqAYQ4At9Z/

[muppet]

https://pp.userapi.com/c851132/v851132983/7f958/Uchc0UFGjO4.jpg
https://pp.userapi.com

https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/47421785_2109690202425563_5328449986352906240_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&_nc_ht=scontent-arn2-1.xx&oh=172f3decde0e92dabcc58d3d085a4bb3&oe=5C9C722B

https://i.imgur.com/36Kd1lh.jpg
https://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=421339&page=142

https://i.imgur.com/dm3fJo9.jpg
https://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=421339&page=142

[HiRiser]

https://pp.userapi.com/c851132/v851132983/7f958/Uchc0UFGjO4.jpg
https://pp.userapi.com

https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/47421785_2109690202425563_5328449986352906240_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&_nc_ht=scontent-arn2-1.xx&oh=172f3decde0e92dabcc58d3d085a4bb3&oe=5C9C722B

https://i.imgur.com/36Kd1lh.jpg
https://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=421339&page=142

https://i.imgur.com/dm3fJo9.jpg
https://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=421339&page=142

Wow. Just Wow. Incredible photos. What a Tower.

[pianowizard]

St. Petersburg's second tallest building is only 30.3% the height of this one!