It is one of the world's most glorious cities. But is St Petersburg about to be ruined by a skyscraper designed by a UK firm? Why build a new icon for the city, if it will ruin what makes the city special?

The tower will also be the world's most sustainable building, RMJM claims, consuming half the energy of an ordinary skyscraper, thanks to a "fur coat" of two double-glazed layers around the outside, with atrium spaces in between. "We've created a building designed for its place, like no other in the world," says Kettle.

Most St Petersburgers, however, think it will ruin their low-slung city. "Our ancestors who built this city left this marvel, this gorgeous pearl for us to cherish and preserve for future generations," said the Russian actor Oleg Basilashvili at a rally to oppose the tower last September. "The angel on top of the Peter and Paul Fortress or the golden ship that crowns the Admiralty are the precious symbols of the city. When I hear they have become obsolete, and our city needs new symbols, it turns me upside-down."


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