For the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) flagship branch, they were looking for an interior design consultant to express the brand’s aspirations of being a leading bank in Southeast Asia. This flagship branch houses both the workspace for its Head Office employees as well as providing full banking services to its customers.
Long since its establishment, BPI has a sprawling network of over 800 branches regionally. Offering a wide range of diverse financial products and services, DB&B had to consider the requirements of each user groups carefully to craft a well-tailored solution to fit the 8,600 square feet multi-purpose space.
For the Customer
As the trusted provider of financial services, the customer service space aims to provide a secured and comfortable environment for their clients. For such a compact space, planning plays a very essential part of the process to ensure proper crowd and traffic management. The lift lobby has semi-private ATM machines for fast transactions, segregated by translucent glass panels. This arrangement aids in providing seamless and efficient self-service options. While the lift lobby serves fast transactions, there are also specially-designed high counters where multiple private transactions can take place simultaneously without disruptions. The two zones are designed to co-share a common holding area. For client meetings, exclusive meeting rooms are available with a restricted view to offer privacy where needed.
Embodying the Rich Heritage
Unlike other BPI branches, this flagship branch takes on a more unique disposition. DB&B proposed a new look to provide the space with a bespoke personality. Using the brand’s bold and exuberant red colour and the introduction of the colour white and stainless steel, the combination emboldened BPI in its quest to bring the Philippines’ premier bank. The fluidity of the ceiling formation illustrates the bodies of water surrounding the Philippine islands. Different dynamics and depth of the pattern bring different experiences for both the employees and customers. To accentuate the design concept of heritage, the design team injected finer details into space. For example, the seating area, counter and meeting room represent the three main islands of the Philippines: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Befitting its rich heritage, the image of the galleon is prominently illustrated on the wall. DB&B believes that the combination of all these elements creates a space that will nurture integrity, professionalism and loyalty, promoting BPI’s culture of respect, performance and teamwork.
Project: Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), Philippines
Design Studio: DB&B
Photo Credit: DB&B
Website: dbb.com
