Honorable MentionSubmitted by:
Alan Metcalfe
Metcalf Architecture & Design
211 North 13th Street, Suite 503
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 557-9200
alanm@metarchdesign.comValley Green Bank, Philadelphia, PA
We were asked to design an 8,000 SF headquarters for a new bank. The existing building was a garage and eyesore in the community. The existing space had assets of high ceilings with wide column spacing.
The challenge of bank design is to be noticed as a retail space, but to project an air of openness and trust. The client asked us to create a face and identity for their new bank, as a warm and welcoming space that looks different from the surrounding buildings, using a modern design idiom to present an open, airy and contemporary feel. The neighborhood was known as a welcoming and diverse community, but one that did not have a bank. The openness and modernity of the bank were supposed to signal a new phase for this neighborhood on the way up.
Metal constructions constitute a major design feature of the new building, both on the inside and the outside. The interior features a long perforated metal canopy over the tellers. We chose this material because of its appearance as light and translucent.
We, Metcalfe Architecture & Design, are a Philadelphia firm of architects, artists and planners. We focus on cultural and academic institutions, buildings and commercial interiors. We are conscious of the elements that make successful spaces. Light and physical comfort, a balance of privacy and community, and opportunities for playfulness are important components of interior and exterior design and contribute to the happiness and productivity of its users.
Boca Raton, FL 33486 561-447-7511 IPERF.org
