A move of locations within the City of London has given the Greek bank a new, contemporary interior thanks to a design scheme by Resonate Interiors

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Project Info

Client: Alpha Bank
Interior design: Resonate Interiors
Size: 1,300 sq m
Duration: 14 weeks

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Words by Emily Martin

Alpha Bank London sees a move to King William Street, in the heart of the City of London, bringing a new, contemporary workplace for its London HQ as delivered by Resonate Interiors. Moving from what the practice describes as a ‘very traditional environment’, in Cannon Street with several small floor plates, the new HQ is set out over one floor plate while maximising the City views.

The reception space adopts a hotel lobby feel

‘The design inspiration was to provide this Greek bank with a new headquarters building that represented the ethos of the bank and its heritage, so it was a juxtaposition of new and old,’ explains Pernille Stafford, principal of Resonate Interiors, which was challenged with a doughnut-shaped floor plate to deliver its scheme. ‘Marble and wooden floors set the tone of authenticity and gravitas, but glazed partitions represented transparency and openness,’ she adds.

The reception space, looking into a boardroom. Large glass partitions between the two spaces can be opened to create a single large space

Upon entry, visitors and staff are greeted with a large reception space encompassing appointed seating, mimicking a hotel lobby. A gleaming glass and marble reception desk, flanked by marble panels, provide an air of solidity and elegance. ‘It’s a calm and impressive space for clients and visitors to wait in tranquillity and appreciate the artwork that has been carefully designed into the joinery elements,’ adds Stafford.

Greek-pattern graphics adorn this glass partition, with a room booking system sitting on the partition

Meeting rooms are designed to surround this space, providing an easy transition from one area to the next, constructed of glazed partitions in bronze framework and a Greek pattern manifestation.

‘The circulation was a challenge as it was a doughnut-shaped building and we wanted to provide connections between departments.

Greek-pattern graphics adorn this glass partition, with a room booking system sitting on the partition

This has been achieved by bringing the breakout area into the middle of the working space, drawing people from both sides of the office,’ says Stafford.

The office area is also designed in keeping with front-of-house in a soft and sophisticated palette while contemporary furniture, including from Flokk, Task and Forma 5, set the scene for a professional and well-appointed environment.

The cafe and breakout area for staff is also a carefully considered space with a marble self-serve counter and a variety of seating options, including from Vitra, Senator and Morgan, to accommodate agile working and lunch-time meetings and gatherings.

The staff cafe and breakout area shows some of the various seating options available in the building. The wall in the breakout space is decorated by a repeat of the company logo

‘The breakout area has been hugely successful in creating a warm, friendly environment for staff to get away from their desks to enjoy informal meetings over a cup of coffee and to bring staff together who used to be several floors away,’ explains Stafford. ‘The area houses six types of seating, from rocking chairs to dining and banquette seating. The colours and tones are muted and of the same palette as the front-of-house that allows harmony throughout the space.’

Stafford says main contrast between Alpha Bank’s previous office and the new one, is that the original had been ‘divided’, spread across multiple floors. ‘The new scheme is more open plan and allows for further transparency – a big change for Alpha Bank and one it has fully embraced,’ she says. ‘Acoustics have not been an issue due to hanging screens, planters and clever screen dividers; certain departments are cellurised, but very few single offices exist, which promotes the collaborative approach it was looking for.’

Overall, the new scheme aims to reflect values, heritage and give confidence to staff and clients alike. It incorporates contemporary working practices, classic materials and clever space planning, which has delighted the client.

‘The current design is a muted and coordinated refined palette; whereas the old building had an eclectic use of colours, materials and palettes due to the age of the fitout’, adds Stafford. ‘The occupants are really delighted with the calm and serene approach to the interior, which allows focus and a productive environment in which to work.’

Key Suppliers

Furniture
Abstracta
Allermuir
Forma 5
ICF
Lyndon
Maine Office
Marelli
Morgan
SB Seating
Vitra
Viccarbe
WJ White

Flooring and surfaces
Broadleaf
Shaw Contracts
GD Stones

Reception desk
Radii Partitioning

Lighting
David Village Lighting
iGuzzini
Delta Light