question time
uestiontime
This month’s question: What ultimate changes would the
Gazprom Tower in St Petersburg bring to the city?
PHILIP RICHARDS
reflect and mirror the historical company, with close ties to the
Architect Will Alsop
ARCHITECT AT WOODS BAGOT
city of St. Petersburg with its higher echelons of Russian gov-
recently misled the
protruding domes and spires. ernment – Guess who’s wearing
public with his an-
Apart from being in the wrong the ‘trousers’ in this situation?
nouncement that he
Cities should be allowed to take
location, the solitary tower scale The other question is how
was leaving the archi-
on board new and exciting de-
and height is even more accen- will the building be perceived in
tecture profession.
velopments and not be shroud-
tuated by low base develop- years to come? Will it stand
After revealing the
ed in a protective historical
ment, which appears to have proud representing the era it
truth, it has been
shield. We should respect histo-
more of an impact on the city. was conceived in, the symbol of
found that Alsop has ry, but not linger in it. Modern
If this development goes Russia’s wealth and rebirth, com-
in fact moved camps structures can be built, which
ahead and UNESCO withdraws parable to the current historical
to work for RMJM and are in harmony with the histori-
St. Petersburg from the list of monuments of St. Petersburg,
would continue his
cal fabric and respect the histor-
World Heritage Sites, the impli- such as the churches, Cathedrals
love of painting,
ical architectural traditions. New
cations could be disastrous and and the neighbouring classical
merging abstract de-
modern developments are al-
open the flood gates to more and baroque architecture with
signs into new build-
lowed to be built in World
controversial tower develop- protruding spires and domes?
ings. With Alsop’s
Heritage Cities but they have to
ments which will be dotted The building should be a time-
move to RMJM base
meet the high quality standards.
around the periphery of the city less icon of this era, an ‘Audrey
Hepburn’ of buildings.
comes more conflict
Unfortunately, this building has
though, with the con-
“If this development goes ahead and
no relation to the Historical
troversy that sur-
rounds RMJM and UNESCO withdraws St. Petersburg from
City of St. Petersburg, and looks
as if it could be situated in any
their plans for the
Gazprom Tower to be
the list of World Heritage Sites, the
city in the world! Currently the
scheme looks like a ‘Britney
built in St Petersburg. implications could be disastrous. ”
Spears’ of buildings - Perhaps
The design of the
Will Alsop can put his Super ar-
tower will mean that,
chitects suit on, and save the
if approved it will be-
Apart from the aesthetics
comparable to the machines in day. Hoorah!!!!
come the tallest struc-
and the design of the tower, the
HG Well’s War of the World –
ture in Europe once
main concern, looking at the im-
poised for their final attack on
completed. The con-
ages, is the size, scale and height,
the city. This development could
Our panel of architects are
flict comes, as with
which is obviously being built in
be the catalyst for the future and
experts in their field and
approved permission,
the wrong location and is com-
St. Petersburg will become in-
have experience in a vast
Unesco will withdraw
pletely out of context with the
fected with the Dubai syndrome,
area of architectural design
horizontal proportioned histori-
an extremely vicious disease.
St Petersburg from the
including; landscape, public
cal City of St. Petersburg. The 400
In an ideal world RMJM
list of World Heritage
sector and private
meter tower will be four times
should not withdraw its plans
sites, ultimately
residencies. If you would
higher than the maximum height
but go back to the drawing
changing the image of
of 100 metres permitted by exist-
board and convince the client
like to contribute as a
the city.
ing planning rules in the city.
to the redesign and still create panelist email:
If the development was fur-
a fantastic scheme which will
What, in your opinion ther away from the city, it would
conform to City Planning and
jade.tilley@onecoms.co.uk
is the right thing to be good to see a cluster of tow-
UNESCO’s requirements. In the
do? Should RMJM
ers; slowly rising up to the main
real world, Gazprom is Russia’s
withdraw its plans or
tower element, that would then
biggest and most powerful
should Unesco allow
for the Tower con-
PHILIP RICHARDS
struction to commence
ARCHITECT AT WOODS BAGOT WOODS BAGOT
without removing it
from the World Her-
Philip has been involved in a diverse With over 500 staff across five re-
array of architectural projects including gions, operating across three sectors;
itage List? What ulti-
several high profile mixed-use Education and Science, Lifestyle and
mate changes would
developments. Most recently, Philip was Workplace, Woods Bagot operates as
this structure bring to
incolved from design through to one global studio. Enabled by global
the city?
development of the TFL site in technology solutions and a commit-
Hammersmith and was joint co- ment to working without boundaries,
ordinator of the Gateway buildings to their clients benefit from their inter-
the National Stadium, Olympic Way, national expertise, supported by a lo-
Wembley. Currently, Phil is working on a cal studio that understands the
Grade II landmark hotel and residential regional cultural context.
scheme in the City of London.
Architects Choice 7
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