Our firm was presented with 321 m2. (3460 sq. ft) of raw retail space in a newly developed office building on a main arterial route in Moscow, minutes from Red Square. The space consisted of a large front area with a high ceiling, separated with a narrow opening to a smaller rear section by a large shear wall. Due to the new building being built on the foundations of the existing building, the column placement determines the planning layout of the space. The distance between the columns was just sufficient to permit the placement of the four teller positions, a critical factor in the planning of this space.

 

DIALOG BANK BRANCH PARUS BUSINESS CENTER, Moscow, Russia

The high floor to ceiling height permitted the design a sectioned shallow floating vaulted ceiling. It creates a defined public space of some grandeur that differentiates the more regular secondary private banking areas. The high ceiling creates a space that appears larger than the plan would suggest. The lower illuminous ceiling on each side in the tellers and customer services areas highlight the high banking floor.

The high floor to ceiling height permitted the design a sectioned shallow floating vaulted ceiling. It creates a defined public space of some grandeur that differentiates the more regular secondary private banking areas. The high ceiling creates a space that appears larger than the plan would suggest. The lower illuminous ceiling on each side in the tellers and customer services areas highlight the high banking floor.

One other important consideration was the bank's presence from the street. Due to the existing reflective glass on the front facade, the bank's presence during the daytime was limited to signage. At night, however, there was an opportunity to catch the eye of the passer with the interior architecture. The desired effect was achieved through the use of the A.T.M. room and manager's office, located in the front of the bank. With the use of floating cherry woods planes and large amounts of light, the bank's interior is seen clearly from the street. The unique geometry of the A.T.M. room also highlights the bank from the street. The floating vaulted ceiling of the main banking chamber is also seen from the street through the use of cold cathode lighting. This highlights the curve of the vault and helps emphasize the bank's presence within the typical storefronts of this large city.