Russian energy company Gazprom, has created a new design for their Gazprom tower which is set to go up in St. Petersburg, Russia. The design isn't that much different than the original, whose height and modernism has ruffled the feathers of those who want St. Petersburg to retain its historic charm. The tower does have one major difference, the addition of what is called a "green fur coat" to help insulate the building. The glass tower will have double walls which will sandwich hundreds of trees and plants to provide heat in the winter and cooler temperatures in the summer. The design by architectural firm RMJM will regulate the temperature in the building and provide significant energy savings. The exterior will be clad in temperature-color changing glass panels.
The construction of the Gazprom tower hasn't been approved yet and it looks like public opinion on the project is pretty low. The Journal of Turkish Weekly cites a recent poll that showed that more than 40 percent of residents would prefer to block the skyscraper project. Construction is planned to start later this year with completion scheduled for 2012.
