Lakhta Center In Russia Is Named Skyscraper of the Year

Lakhta Center's shape and design has impressed many people and received Emporis' 2020 Skyscraper Award out of 700 buildings worldwide. This magnificent building twists almost 90 full degrees and measures 1,516ft above St. Petersburg in Russia. Zaha Hadid's Leeza Soho in Beijing, China only comes second, while 35 Hudson Yards in New York is in third place.

Lakhta Center is designed by Gorproject and RMJM. This blazing flame-shaped building is considered to be the tallest building not only in Russia but in Europe as well. It is set to open this 2021 and will serve as the headquarter for the Russian natural gas company, Gazprom.

Tallest Building in Europe Receives Emporis' Skyscraper of the Year Award

According to a report by New Atlas, information specialist Emporis has presented the 2020 Skyscraper Award to Lakhta Center in Russia out of 700 buildings officially completed in 2019.

The construction of this 1,516ft building involved 20,000 people from 18 countries. It took 16,505 individual glasses to cover the facade of the building which takes the form of a spire with five wings and twist from top to bottom.

The building will cater more to office spaces but it also features a planetarium, performance hall, an observation deck, and a restaurant with a panoramic view of the area, according to MailOnline.

According to Emporis, the jury was impressed by the unusual form of the skyscraper, especially with its exterior structure. They added that the twist created a dynamic impression that gives the building the shape of a blazing flame that resembles the logo of Gazprom, a Russian natural gas producer that has set up its headquarters in the building.

Moreover, the jury was also impressed because it is environment friendly and boasts its energy-efficient technologies. Lakhta Center is the northernmost tallest building in the world which means that it is exposed to extreme temperatures.

But with its double skin, unnecessary heat loss is prevented which makes the whole building energy-efficient. Additionally, the lost heat is fed back into the building's system thanks to its innovative use of infrared radiators. Lakhta Center is considered as one of the five most eco-friendly skyscrapers in the world because it was certified LEED Platinum.

Emporis Skyscraper of the Year Awardees

In 2019, the MGM Cotai in Macau was chosen as the skyscraper of the year. Two years earlier, it was South Korea's Lotte World Tower. The 2020 Skyscraper Award only showed that Europe can still keep up with the competition from other continents like Asia and North America.

The third place this year is New York City's 35 Hudson Yards which is 1,010ft (307 m) tall and like the Lakhta Center it is also almost an office space. The second place is Zaha Hadid's Leeza Soho in Beijing, China which is considered to be one of the finest to date. It rises to a height of 679ft (207m).

As of now, Lakhta Center is not yet open to the public but has confirmed on the website that it will take place sometime next year.