Norman Foster will revitalize the island in St. Petersburg

Saint Petersburg - The revitalization of the Saint Petersburg island of New Holland, where a residential and leisure area with a theater, shops, and restaurants is set to be developed, will proceed according to the design of the winner of the international competition, British architect Norman Foster. This was announced by the Saint Petersburg city hall.
    The island, with a triangular layout, was created in the center of the Russian city in 1719 and has since been primarily used as a timber storage site, with an armory and a prison located on it. Now, the almost eight-hectare plot is to become a modern district, connected to the city center by new bridges. The reconstructed buildings will feature apartments and offices, and there are plans for the construction of a gallery, theater, and conference spaces.
    "It is one of the most important European revitalization projects," said Vera Dementyeva from the Saint Petersburg city hall. Its implementation is estimated to cost around 320 million US dollars, with completion expected by 2009.
    71-year-old Pritzker Prize holder Lord Norman Foster is building across Europe. Among his most famous works are the reconstruction of the Berlin Reichstag building and the project for the London skyscraper that houses Swiss Re.