Scottish architects Kettle Collective have announced they are to build one of the world’s tallest buildings in Russia. The tower will be built in St Petersburg and will stand at 703m tall, making it the second highest skyscraper in the world, just behind the Burj Khalifa (828m) in Dubai.

The new Lakhta Center II will boast the highest occupied floor and viewing gallery of any building in the world. It will be 71 metres taller than the Shanghai Tower, which is currently the second tallest structure in the world.

The tower will be located on the outskirts of St Petersburg and will stand beside Europe’s tallest building, the Lakhta Center, which is the headquarters of energy giant Gazprom. Design lead Tony Kettle, who is also behind the Falkirk Wheel, is one of the UK’s foremost architects. Kettle designed the Lakhta Center when he worked at major architectural firm RMJM after creating the winning design in an international competition for the Gazprom tower in 2006.

Tony Kettle said: “The new Lakhta Center will be a template of sustainable design for global high-rise projects. 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 Center as the heart for this new business district.

“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 tower will house pioneering multi-car lifts, powered by regenerating energy from the movement of the lift and is seen as a complimentary development to the first Lakhta Center. The build will include requirements universally recognised as essential for the office of the future -accommodation and relaxation spaces fulfilling the ‘live, work, and play’ needed in a 21st century business centre.

Kettle Collective was formed in 2012 with a focus on creating high performance and energy efficient designs.

“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.”

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