Banks branch out into modern world of branding in retail spaces
Financial giants are embracing the move to more efficient layouts and lighting to create comfortable spaces for clients and workers
Try to picture all the Bank of China (Hong Kong) branches in a 10-block radius from where you are sitting. Having trouble? That was the problem Greg Pearce and James Oliver of One Space encountered when they were hired to redesign a BOCHK branch two years ago.
"I could think of maybe one or two," says Pearce. The number of BOCHK branches tops 300. "For such an important part of the community, it could be much more visible. It should be a landmark, a part of the streetscape," says Pearce.
One Space was hired to revamp a three-storey branch on Hennessy Road in Causeway Bay to make it more efficient, customer-friendly and visible from the street. Completed in January, it is a project that could be the template for a city-wide overhaul of BOCHK branches.
Last year, The Economist noted that, as online banking becomes more popular, banks worldwide are revamping their branches to be airier and more comfortable spaces, with "more than [a] passing resemblance" to the layout of Apple stores. That is especially true for international players like Citibank, whose recent expansion in Hong Kong has raised the bar for local stalwarts like BOCHK and HSBC.
Having handled retail projects for HSBC, Fubon Bank and others, One Space was a natural choice for BOCHK.
Finance is part of the company's DNA. American-born Pearce moved to Hong Kong 20 years ago to work for Arup on the MTR Corp's Hong Kong station. Oliver arrived from Britain in 1996 as a financial technology specialist for Goldman Sachs.