The UIA supports the Union of Architects of Russia in its opposition to the Construction of the Gazprom-City Tower in Saint Petersbourg


On 27 November 2006, Yury Gnedovsky, President of the Union of Architects of Russia (UAR) appealed to President Gaetan Siew, asking for UIA support of the UAR's opposition to the project for the construction of a vast administration and business complex comprising a 396 m high tower in the historic centre of Saint Petersburg.

Despite the opposition of the Russian architects, in August 2006, the Russian company Gazprom-City, launched an international competition for the design of this complex. This project contravenes the current regulations for the city of Saint Petersburg. Registered on the World Heritage List, the city is subject to protection measures which include forbidding the construction of buildings of over 48 metres.

Furthermore, the procedure is in blatant contradiction with two reference documents concerning professional practice world-wide adopted by the UIA General Assembly:
• the UIA Accordon Recommended International Standards of Professionalism;
• the International Code of Ethics on Consulting Services.

In a letter addressed to the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, the UIA President, having pointed out that the International Union of Architects is the only body mandated by UNESCO to oversee the application of the code of ethics concerning international competitions in architecture and town planning and that the UIA had not been contacted by the promoter of this competition, Gazprom-city, requested his support for the position of the Union of Architects of Russia and expressed the UIA's concern with regard to this situation.

Besides, the UIA contacted the Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Francesco Bandarin, so that concerted action might be taken with the authorities concerned. A meeting is planned in January 2007. At the same period a regional seminar on historic urban landscapes in Central and Eastern Europe, is being organised in Saint Petersburg by the World Heritage Centre.

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