Foster + Partners JFC St Petersburg will provide a new kind of destination for the city with a diverse mix of office, retail and residential accommodation. Strategically located on Moskovsky Prospeckt, the main route that links the airport and city centre, the scheme symbolises a gateway to St Petersburg, bridging the historic divide between the industrial zone to the south and the historic city to the north.
Echoing the scale and colours of St Petersburgs neo-classical buildings, the JFC complex knits into the urban fabric yet expresses a distinctive character. Its design is also environmentally friendly, incorporating numerous passive and active means to reduce carbon emissions. Four buildings radiate from north to south, maximising daylight and sunlight to the interior while generous atria between the buildings form sheltered public plazas that are visually inviting and will enliven the complex throughout the year. The ground floor includes shops and cafés that create strong links with the surrounding streetscape.
To the north, office and residential spaces benefit from panoramic views over the historic city centre, while the south-facing accommodation enjoys maximum sunlight. Internal spaces can be easily reconfigured for future changes of use that the market may demand. This example of future-proofing allows for the possibility of other proposals to be added as adjoining land becomes available. JFC exemplifies thoughtful, forward-thinking architecture that will grow and adapt, efficiently and sustainably, as St Petersburgs regeneration continues.
