Baden-Württemberg Bank uses HI-MACS for branch re-designing
Germany-based Baden-Württemberg Bank (BW Bank) has commissioned Stuttgart-based firm wittfoht architekten to re-design both the ground and upper floors of its branch at Königstraße 3 in Stuttgart with interior details finished with HI-MACS.
The brief for the interiors of the BW Bank branch was to give it a human face through the use of a harmonising formal language. Wittfoht architekten has achieved this through the use of colour, form and materials. The Stuttgart architects have used the circle as the guiding principle.
The massive new see-through facade overlooking Königstraße has given it a much higher status. With its round exhibits in cylindrical glass cabinets, the currency bureau forms a meaningful integral element of the overall design. Combined and individual elements are designed to guide customers through the bank, starting from the pedestrian zone, via the semi-public area in the SB hall to the service area and customer advisor alcoves.
The facade of the ground floor provides a stark horizontal contrast to the pedestrian zone and is designed to create depth through lettering and the layering of structures and materials.
Glass is used as an optimal design feature and meets the basic human need for daylight and visual contact with the environment outside the shell of the building. The constantly changing impression given by the glass as the light plays on it also engenders sensory impressions and creates ever-changing architectural images in the city environment. The existing glass facade has been decorated with various huge BW Bank logos and a translucent pattern, giving glimpses of the SB hall, but without impinging on the private areas for making withdrawals. Important security aspects have been addressed by creating discrete transparency between internal and external spaces.
An area is partitioned off by a type of double wall between the SB hall and the service area, incorporating specific banking facilities such as cash machines and safety deposit boxes, so that the general banking processes are not disturbed.
Wittfoht architekten chose HI-MACS for this monolithic partition for its optical depth. The clever use of lighting alcoves gives the wall an unexpected lightness.
The HI-MACS colour white Lucent Opal not only emphasises the specific features of the solid surface material but also suggests quality through its translucency, which reminds one of alabaster. Brown and gray shades are used in addition to white to pick out certain areas and break up large surfaces from an optical point of view. Special areas such as leather seating lining parts of the entrance areas are deliberately created in beige to increase the sense of warmth and safety.
The salient performance properties of HI-MACS are evident right from the SB area. A protruding bag shelf has been created under the cash machines in the wall from this thermo-formable material. This use of its properties is clear proof of the ideal application of this resistant material in areas of the bank accessible throughout the day. There are no areas vulnerable to deliberate damage with plenty of scope for creating three-dimensional homogeneous shapes and superior surface quality.
The right-angled gallery that once separated the ground and first floors has been closed off. A new and smaller ceiling aperture now features in the entrance hall area. On entering, visitors are automatically guided to the left towards the reception desk, tellers and service desks, all made of HI-MACS. The round ceiling aperture breaks up the stark horizontality of the entrance hall.
Three different-sized light rings are suspended asymmetrically from the first floor ceiling. These increase the draw effect of the opening and create the link to the currency bureau on level 1. The architects’ lighting concept is based on four lighting options: lighting alcoves on the walls, linear pendant lights, lighting rings and the accentuating window lighting.
Because all of the internal architectural features have been made from HI-MACS Lucent Opal, all of the various areas of the bank are linked as an optical continuum extending from the reception desk in the entrance hall to the SB and service area on the ground floor and the currency bureau on level 1.
Cylindrical windows framed by HI-MACS on the ground floor and level 1 appear to hover in the space and reveal parts of the coin collection. Seamless glass covers are located over the sealed substructure. Light outlets in the ceiling cylinders suspended above light up the whole display. The emphasis of the circle as a design element lends presence, lightness and a new clarity to the space.
Two glass elevators forming part of the structural design, line the long stairway up to level 1. The smaller ceiling aperture between the ground floor and level 1 made it possible to gain extra space on level 1, which was used to the best effect by putting in striking display cabinets. Changing the flooring from hard stone to soft thick-pile carpet now designates the display area and increases the exclusivity of the coin collection.
The standard properties of the HI-MACS has made it possible to create the flowing forms defining the concept. The material is of a similar hardness to stone, but can be worked like wood. The 12mm Lucent Opal panels are fabricated by Rosskopf & Partner.
