Sugamo Shinkin Bank by Emmanuelle Moureaux
Emmanuelle Moureaux Architecture have designed the Shimura Branch of the Sugamo Shinkin Bank in Tokyo, Japan.
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Sugamo Shinkin Bank by Emmanuelle Moureaux
Concept : Rainbow mille-feuille
Sugamo Shinkin Bank is a credit union that strives to provide first-rate hospitality to its customers in accordance with its motto: “we take pleasure in serving happy customers.” Having completed the design for branch outlets of Sugamo Shinkin Bank located in Tokiwadai and Niiza, we were also commissioned to handle the architectural and interior design for its newly rebuilt branch in Shimura. For this project, we sought to create a refreshing atmosphere with a palpable sense of nature based on an open sky motif.
12 layers of color
A rainbow-like stack of colored layers,
peeking out from the façade
to welcome visitors.
Reflected onto the white surface,
these colors leave a faint trace over it,
creating a warm, gentle feeling.
At night, the colored layers are faintly illuminated.
The illumination varies according to the season and time of day,
conjuring up myriad landscapes.
A piece of the sky
Upon entering the building, three elliptical skylights bathe the interior in a soft light. Visitors spontaneously look up to see a cut-out piece of the sky that invites them to gaze languidly at it. The open sky and sensation of openness prompts you to take deep breaths, refreshing your body from within.
Fuzzy puffs
The ceiling is adorned with dandelion puff motifs that seem to float and drift through the air. In Europe, there is a long and cherished custom of blowing on one of these fuzzy balls while secretly making a wish. Bits of fluffy down gently dance and frolic in the air, carried by the wind.
ATMs, teller windows, consultation booths and an open space laid out with chairs in 14 different colors are located on the first floor.
The second storey houses offices, meeting rooms and a cafeteria, while the third floor is reserved for the staff changing rooms.
Three long glass airwells thread through the first and second levels of the building, flooding the interior with natural light as well as “blowing” air through it.
Credits
Architecture : emmanuelle moureaux architecture + design
Space Design/Sign Design : emmanuelle moureaux architecture + design
Photography : Nacasa & Partners Inc.
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The Disgruntled Architect on 13 May 2011 at 5:56 am #
Love the playful use of color and shape, it adds a whimsy that is unique to bank designs. It is also the perfect play on the push-pull tool in sketch-up – any architect who uses sketch-up would want to push and pull the blocked building skin…..so much fun, well done!
Great on 13 May 2011 at 7:10 am #
Another happy architecture
I don’t like the tacky dandelions on the ceiling though.
RonH. Architect on 13 May 2011 at 10:45 am #
A very fun thinking out of the box sort of building….excellent exterior colored cantilevers However, FUZZY PUFFS on the ceiling??? Are you kidding me? This may be culturally dear to the hearts of the locals but very poorly handled……….. it looks like a kids boutique store or a childs school room. Completely downgrades the otherwise interesting spaces…….is ‘tacky’ a universal word?
Nina on 13 May 2011 at 11:58 am #
I would love to photograph that building! The bold architecture combined with bold color – got to love it.
OBSCURUM on 13 May 2011 at 2:41 pm #
I like the exterior execution. The interior execution is good, but may need to be dialed back a bit, maybe ease off on the dandelions. I like what this concept works to do with a bank.
MD Interior Design on 13 May 2011 at 3:23 pm #
The exterior design as well as the colour design of this bank is nothing less than wow!
Michelle
James on 14 May 2011 at 7:25 am #
Only in Japan can a bank get away with such amazing colorful design, would love to see more of this creativity in North America!
Lacy on 14 May 2011 at 2:57 pm #
amazing!!! I want to belong to this bank! ahhh
ariana roberts on 14 May 2011 at 5:39 pm #
wow…i wish more banks were designed like this one.
the exterior looks almost like pillows when illuminated!
Shenna on 15 May 2011 at 4:15 pm #
I am a sucker for color! This is …I hate to say it…CUTE
I would love to visit this place any day. It seems so inviting and warm. They accomplished exactly what they set out to
jugular on 15 May 2011 at 10:35 pm #
It’s a very beautiful exterior. The ceilings are a bit too busy. I think they should have spent a bit of time on making the services and lighting more discrete. The photos probably cramp it up a bit.
Steve B on 16 May 2011 at 12:05 am #
Yip. This is happy architecture. Looks a little like a playschool, but that’s not a bad thing at all. Banking becomes childsplay.