Architectural concept unveiled for 703-meter skyscraper Lakhta Center 2

A meeting of the Inter-Agency Council in charge of implementing the Agreement of Cooperation between St. Petersburg and Gazprom took place in St. Petersburg. The event was chaired by Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee, and Alexander Beglov, Governor of St. Petersburg.

The parties reviewed key areas of cooperation, including the progress of gas supply and gas infrastructure expansion in St. Petersburg, as well as ongoing work on local heat supply.

The 2021–2023 Synchronization Plan for the implementation of the “NGV Market Development in St. Petersburg” project was signed at the meeting. The project envisages a phased conversion of road and waterborne passenger transport and municipal vehicles to natural gas, the greenest and most cost-efficient fuel.

It was noted that the parties are currently drafting a contract for cooperation between the city and the Company for a new three-year period of 2022–2024.

Particular attention at the meeting of the Inter-Agency Council was paid to the implementation of Gazprom’s large-scale program for the urban improvement of St. Petersburg. Its purpose is to help the city preserve its unique historical and cultural heritage while modernizing the urban environment and making it more comfortable for residents and numerous tourists.

Since 2007, Gazprom has financed the renovation of more than 70 city streets, squares, embankments and mini-gardens, repavement of sidewalks, upgrade of the city lighting system, and provision of artistic lighting for architectural ensembles. The bulk of this work is carried out in the city’s historical center, namely in the Tsentralny, Admiralteysky and Petrogradsky Districts.

Comprehensive renovations have been performed in such iconic locations of St. Petersburg as Bolshoy Ave. of Petrograd Side, Liteyny and Ligovsky Aves., Pestelya St., Bolshaya Konyushennaya St., Malaya Morskaya St., Millionnaya St., and Potyomkinskaya St. The lighting systems have been fully replaced on, inter alia, Nevsky and Suvorovsky Aves. In 2020, to mark the 75^th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, works were finished on the lighting for the Monument to the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad on Victory Square. In the spring of 2021, the next stage of urban improvement was completed in the Tsentralny District, with renovations made on, among others, Tchaikovskogo St., Gagarinskaya St., and Gangutskaya St.

Gazprom is also planning to finance the creation of a unified lighting system and dynamic lighting solutions on the northeastern coast of the Gulf of Finland’s Neva Bay – the Marine Façade of St. Petersburg: the Park of the 300^th Anniversary of St. Petersburg, the Yakhtenny Pedestrian Bridge, and the Western High-Speed Diameter section that links the Primorsky and Vasileostrovsky Districts. It will be possible to modify the color schemes depending on public holidays, commemorative dates, and important events in the city, including sporting ones.

At the same time, Gazprom is helping shape the new status of St. Petersburg as an ever-growing megalopolis and a major international hub of business activity.

A new urban planning initiative was presented at the meeting of the Inter-Agency Council.

With the purpose of further development of the social and business district that is now being successfully established around the Lakhta Center on the coast of the Gulf of Finland, it was proposed to build a new skyscraper, dubbed Lakhta Center 2. The skyscraper will be 703 meters tall. It will be organically integrated into the modern architectural ensemble and will take global leadership in technological innovation and green construction. The high-rise will become the world’s second-tallest building with the absolute highest observation deck (at 590 meters) and top accessible floor.

The new landmark will give the district another impetus for development and strengthen its status as a modern city center with conceptual spaces for education and recreation.

The project will be implemented via project financing outside the scope of Gazprom’s investment program by a special-purpose company unaffiliated with Gazprom.

A roadmap was developed for the project. The main land plot for construction will be provided by Gazprom.

“The project envisages the creation of a vertical urban environment in the form of a spiral 703-meter tower symbolizing close ties to the history and traditions of St. Petersburg: innovation and aspiration for the future. The elegant spire will become another focal point on the skyline created by landmarks from various eras and drivers of the city’s development.

This tower will symbolically complement the Lakhta Center’s tower, offering another supremely tall template of sustainable design for high-rise architecture with the best-in-class low energy design and a mix of uses.

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 exterior design of the building is consistent with the elegant smooth lines of the Lakhta Center,” said Tony Kettle, the architect of the Lakhta Center 2 project, who previously headed the author team that developed the architectural concept for the Lakhta Center.

“The tower’s height of 703 meters is highly symbolic. It is a tribute to history – the year in which the great city with an enormous wealth of culture and history and a unique spirit was founded.

Lakhta Center 2 continues the traditions of St. Petersburg, as the Peter and Paul Fortress, which was founded by Peter the Great in the early 18^th century, was also one of the world’s tallest buildings at the time.

By creating a core for an emerging modern center in the area of the Lakhta Center, we will not only make a step forward in all spheres of urban development, but also manage to preserve the historic districts of St. Petersburg just as we know and love them,” said Alexey Miller.

Gazprom and the Government of St. Petersburg sign cooperation contracts in furtherance of the Agreement of Cooperation concluded between them. The Roadmap of the project for the expanded use of hi-tech products of St. Petersburg enterprises in the interests of the Company was also signed between Gazprom and St. Petersburg.

As of January 1, 2021, the gas penetration rate in St. Petersburg stands at 94.3 per cent. In December 2020, the gas supply and gas infrastructure expansion program of St. Petersburg was signed for the five-year period of 2021–2025. The planned amount of Gazprom’s investments is RUB 11.247 billion. By the year 2026, the gas grid development in St. Petersburg will be completed to the fullest extent technically possible.

In March 2021, Gazprom, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, KAMAZ, and the Government of St. Petersburg signed an agreement under which the parties will consolidate their efforts to achieve a phased conversion of the city’s road and waterborne passenger transport and municipal vehicles to natural gas.

Over 30 sports facilities have been built in St. Petersburg under the Gazprom for Children program, including sports and health centers. Within the next few years, the Company is going to build more sports and health centers and a sports center with an exercise room.