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One Reason Not to Visit St. Petersburg

Does the beautiful Russian city of St Petersburg need an incredibly tall tower? We don't think so--its skyline is beautiful as is--but gas giant Gazprom thinks otherwise. They're responsible for the new Okhta Tower.

The building, part of the Okhta Center, will stand taller than the Empire State Building at about 1,300 feet and 77 stories, and with St Petersburg's otherwise low-level skyline, it will truly stick out like a sore thumb. The design isn't bad--sleek and shiny--but seems better suited to Dubai than the Russian Paris.

If there's a good side to the Okhta Tower, it's that the building will be "the most environmentally sustainable tower in the world." A special construction of two double-glazed layers should mean it consumes half the energy of a normal building that size.

We've got an even better idea. Build a much, much smaller building, and the energy consumption will be even lower--and St Petersburg won't be spoiled before our next trip there.

Related Stories:
· St Petersburg to Welcome Europe's Tallest Tower [Gadling]
· A Shard on the Skyline [Guardian]
· St Petersburg Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: e-architect]