Tony Kettle


Tony Kettle is a British architect probably best known for designing the Falkirk Wheel in Scotland and leading the RMJM team on Lakhta Centre, Gazprom Headquarters in Saint Petersburg, Russia whilst at RMJM. Kettle founded his own international architecture firm, Kettle Collective in 2012, with former RMJM Managing Principal Colin Bone. Prior to founding his own firm, Kettle was Group Design Principal of global firm, RMJM which he joined in 1989. During his time there he acted as UK Director, European Director and finally International Group Design Director where he would oversee design collaboration throughout regions and sectors.

Early life

Kettle was educated at the Edinburgh College of Art.

Projects involved with

Kettle and his team were appointed by British Waterways Scotland to design a focal point of the Millennium Link to create a fully navigable waterway between Edinburgh and Glasgow for the first time in almost 70 years.
The Falkirk Wheel was designed to reconnect the Forth of Clyde Canal with the Union Canal lying some 35 metres below. In addition, there was a need to design and build the visitor centre that now provides dramatic views of the Falkirk Wheel in action. The Wheel was completed ahead of schedule in 2002, and was opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ.
Kettle worked out the principal engineering concept by using his daughter's lego to make a model of the turning wheel while preserving two upright sections for the boats. This model was later displayed at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London at the 'British Design 1948-2012, Innovation in the Modern Age' Exhibition from 31 March until 12 August 2012.

Lakhta Centre

In December 2006, Gazprom and the St Petersburg city authorities announced that the RMJM design had been chosen for what was then named the Okhta Centre in St Petersburg.
Kettle and his team created a building and masterplan that it is hoped will revitalise an area of former industrial land 12 km from the city centre on the coast of the Gulf of Finland. Phase 1 consists on 200 m2 of office facility including the 462 m high Lakhta Tower which when complete in 2017 will be Europe's tallest tower. In 2013, Kettle was invited back to look at Phase 2 and in 2015 designed the concept, a 200 m2 mixed use office facility.
Kettle is in dispute with the Moscow architectural practice Gorproject and their lead architect Philipp Nikandrov over who is the architect of the building, and Kettle has called it "the architectural equivalent of fake news".

Kettle Collective

In 2012, Kettle and Colin Bone created a new design house called Kettle Collective. Prior to founding his own firm, Kettle was Group Design Principal of the global firm RMJM, which he joined in 1989. During his time here he acted as UK Director, European Director and finally International Group Design Director where he would oversee design collaboration throughout regions and sectors. The new company focuses on architecture and other design services such as urban, interior, product and graphic design. Operating from Edinburgh, the company also has established studios in Dubai and Oman and partners in Moscow, St Petersburg and Beirut.
Before beginning Kettle Collective, Kettle was Design Principal at RMJM and has over 25 years experience with multiple award-winning designs. the new 462 metre HQ for the Russian oil giant Gazprom in St Petersburg, the tower will soon be the tallest building in Europe.

Awards

Awards received by Kettle's designs include:
The Piers, Al Mouj, Muscat, Oman
;Solar Innovation Centre], Dubai, UAE
;The Joost Van Der Westhuizen Centre for Neurodegeneration, South Africa
;The Ripple Retreat], Perthshire, UK
;The Falkirk Wheel and Visitor Centre, Scotland
;Performance Academy, Newcastle College, UK
;Rye Hill House, Newcastle College, UK
;New Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, Scotland
Tony Kettle's work has been published across a spectrum of works. These include: