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Photo by Danmarks Nationalbank

Architecture & Finance

eabh (The European Association for

Banking and Financial History e.V.)
 bulletin
Architecture
& Finance

www.bankinghistory.org

ISSN 2219-0643

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 CONTEN TS

contents

AUSTRALIA Gothic Bank Melbourne Australia 8

BULGARIA The Bulgarian National Bank building 12
CZECH REPUBLIC The National Bank of Czechoslovakia building 16
DENMARK Danmarks Nationalbank – A monumental work of contemporary architecture 20
FRANCE The architecture of savings - The French saving banks at the heart of urban history 26
Societe Generale: architecture and finance at the time of the Belle Époque 30
GERMANY The Savings Bank’s head office in Bonn. Three buildings representing the
development of Savings Bank architecture in Germany 36
GREECE The architecture of The National Bank of Greece buildings since 1845 40
INDIA The State Bank of India’s living heritage 46
INDOCINA The real estate and the architecture of the Banque de l’Indochine: an overview 50
ITALY The palace of Istituto Bancario San Paolo di Torino 54
A photographic tour of the Intesa Sanpaolo Group Historical Archives:
from the Group’s historic buildings to its new Turin headquarters 56
The Sant’Elia building in Milan 58
LUXEMBOURG Banque de Luxembourg - A bank’s architecture history 62
PORTUGAL Caixa Geral de Depósitos an architectural language 66
SPAIN Banco Santander building at 9-10 and 11-12 Paseo de Pereda 72
The branches of Banco de España buildings and architects 76
THE NETHERLANDS Different banks, different buildings? 82
UK A Domesday Book for Barclays Bank: an architectural snapshot 86
Documenting an Edinburgh landmark: the Bank of Scotland architectural plans collection 90
The Ned and its former use as the Midland Bank head office 94
A major “move” – 5 Broadgate, UBS’s new London office building 96
USA HSBC Bank USA – 58 Bowery, New York, NY 100

DESIGN EDITORS SUBMISSIONS

Richard McBurney, Grand Creative, Carmen Hofmann, Gabriella Massaglia All submissions by email
www.grand-creative.com eabh (The European Association for EMAIL
KEY TITLE
Banking and Financial History e.V.) g.massaglia@bankinghistory.org
bulletin (eabh - The European Hanauer Landstrasse 126-128, D-60314
TEL
Association for Banking and Frankfurt am Main, Germany
+49(0)69 36 50 84 650
Financial History) LANGUAGE EDITOR
WEBSITE
Jonathan Ercanbrack
www.bankinghistory.org

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editorial

Dear colleagues and friends,

The association between the history of architecture and Santander, for example, chose a monumental structure to
banking is as old as the profession itself. And it continues house its company headquarters. In addition to presiding
to this day. The great banking houses of Europe and North as one of the most often photographed buildings in the city
America have long sought to associate their banking of Santander, the building’s location underscores the city’s
prowess with representative architecture. Banks seek historical economic development. Its seafront location
to inspire confidence, strength, resilience, and most highlights the mid-19th century trade with the American
importantly, trust in their clientele. The buildings in which colonies, made possible by the rail line which linked
banks house their operations are meant to reflect these Santander with the inland; and the port which offered an
values but the ways in which banks have done so is as efficient means of trading with the Americas and with Europe.
varied as the banking houses themselves. Yet the storied
and diverse history of banks and their buildings is also A captivating example of the convergence between a
intimately connected to the development of technology as particular area’s economic and social development and
well as the cities in which these banks have emerged and banks’ decisions to establish offices there concerns the
gone on to flourish. I am pleased to present the second Citizens’ Savings Bank in New York City. The bank was
eabh bulletin on Architecture and Finance. This second established in the Bowery street in 1860, which was one
bulletin continues to examine this history one case study at of the oldest streets in New York City. One of the original
a time. However, the connections between these stories are roads of New Amsterdam, it connected the emerging
unmistakeable as are the legacies they have established. Dutch settlement to outlying lands and villages beyond
Manhattan. Eventually banks, slaughterhouses, taverns,
Consider, for example, the history of Societe Generale, hotels and other businesses became established in the
whose emergence as a premier commercial bank is street so that it came to be known as ‘the liveliest mile
intimately connected to its real estate holdings. The bank, on the face of the earth’ and/or ‘the grand avenue of the
which was founded in 1864, sought to exemplify strength respectable lower classes.’ The Citizens’ Savings Bank now
and solidity and thus chose elegant stone buildings in busy operates as the Chinatown HSBC Branch.
commercial centres to house its offices. Yet the bank also
wished to convey a personal, unique style by which it could It would be remiss to not mention the historical significance
distinguish itself from its competitors. Small architectural of the Palazzo Turinetti di Pertengo to the city of Turin.
details such as the placement of its name on window fronts Located in the historic district of San Giorgio, the palace
in block or gold letters; creating painted wood façades with was built under the regency of Christine of France as a
large, two-metre-high windows and other details were quintessential example of Baroque architecture. The
designed to provide a personal touch. palace shaped the urban and architectural landscape of
Turin in the 16th and 17th centuries and has remained
Banks’ decisions as to where to house their operations an important historical landmark since then. The palace
invariably reflect the economic development of the time suffered significant damage during the air raids on Turin in
as well as the commercial development of the bank. Banco 1942 and 1943 and was eventually acquired by the Istituto

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 ED ITORIAL

Bancario, which decided to make it its official headquarters. the century the bank erected a new building at the edge
In 1955 major renovations began, culminating in a faithful of the city centre. Its façade was of natural stone and was
preservation of the Baroque façade while infusing the place supported by huge pillars which sought to convey a sense
with cutting edge, modern architectural features. of safety, dignity and trustworthiness. The contemporary
building is adapted to the historical topography of the city.
While banks often preferred a particular architectural style Its modern design meets the highest standards in terms of
to suit their developing commercial interests, they have also ecology, economy and functionality while also catering to
been receptive to the artistic trends of the day. The Caixa social and cultural functions.
Geral Depósitos of Portugal sought to construct buildings
modelled on the international style of the 1930s, while Technological prowess and architectural modernity are
retaining distinctive Portuguese architectural elements. unmistakeable features of contemporary bank buildings.
But this style tended to change as technology became more UBS’ London headquarters typifies these qualities both
advanced. Initially known as ‘modernising nationalism’, externally and internally. Designed by Ken Shuttleworth,
it came to embody the internal, functional and aesthetic the designer of the famous ‘Gherkin’ building, the façade of
organisation of the developing bank. In addition to its 5 Broadgate building is fashioned from 2,000 lorry loads of
contemporary feel it was also a style that could be adapted prefabricated panels. The bank’s internal spaces are fitted
to the local environment and context. with the most up-to-date technology, seamlessly connected
via 28 IT hub and equipment rooms. The building represents
Banks’ architectural styles have often influenced architectural a pioneering effort in developing innovative, contemporary
styles in general. This is certainly the case with the National banking headquarters.
Bank of Greece, which over the course of 175 years constructed
buildings that continue to shape modern Greek architecture. There are many other examples of these trends as well as
Modern Greek architecture, in turn, has been influenced by other more individualistic architectural histories. I invite you
leading European trends as well as other leading architects to discover these fascinating stories in this important volume.
of the day. Like other banks, the architecture of the buildings
comprising the National Bank of Greece also reflected the
economic development of the country.
Yours faithfully
On occasion differences in the nature of the financial
institution are reflected in the chosen architecture. For
example, Bonn Savings Bank, an independent financial
institution with a public mandate, was initially established
in the baroque town hall at the market square. However, the
bank’s opulent beginnings soon changed into an institution Carmen Hofmann
designed to cater for less affluent people. At the turn of Secretary General of eabh

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AUST R A L I A

Gothic Bank Melbourne Australia

Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited

A
s Mike Smith, former CEO of ANZ,
said, the Gothic Bank is one of Aus-
tralia’s most distinguished, histor-
ic buildings, of international importance to
their architectural heritage. ANZ is the proud
custodian of the Gothic Bank.
On the north-east corner of Queen and
Collins Street in the heart of Melbourne’s
financial district exists a truly remarka-
ble bank. Built between 1883 and 1887 the
‘Gothic Bank’, as it is affectionately known,
was the Australian head office and residence
of the General Manager of the English, Scot-
tish and Australia Chartered Bank (ES&A):
the forerunner of today’s Australia and New
Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ).
The residence, known as Verdon Cham-
bers, majestically crowns the banking hall
that has charmed Collins Street for over a
hundred years. Built in Venetian-Gothic style
over two floors atop the magnificent banking
chamber, the residence hosts more than 17 Gothic Bank Melbourne, 1900
rooms and boasts valuable artwork and lav-
ish features that ANZ has diligently restored
and maintained to preserve this iconic land-
mark for future generations.
links to the boom period in Melbourne’s histo- stairwell in Verdon Chambers. Using unique
ANZ’s Commitment to the Gothic Bank ry as well as to the evolution of banking insti- Porters paint products, a master painter
by Peter Lovell, renowned Heritage tutions in Australia. The buildings are exam- mixed the colours on site ‘by eye’ to match
Consultant. ples of gothic revival construction from both the original.
The ANZ Gothic Bank is regarded as Aus- a visual and functional perspective. In 2015, ANZ undertook a subsistence
tralia’s finest example of the English Gothic ANZ works closely with heritage archi- prevention project to ensure the Gothic
Revival style as applied to a secular building. tects to ensure that the properties are Bank stands for many years to come. Con-
Within the building the Verdon Chambers restored and conserved in exacting detail tributing factors such as vibrations from
contain some of the most important historic whilst also maintaining a functional use for nearby construction, tram and traffic pol-
interiors in the country, the complexity and employees and visitors to the Bank. lution, the high stone to glass ratio of the
richness of which is unsurpassed. In conjunction with Melbourne City and Gothic Bank itself and foundations sited on
As custodians of the Gothic Bank and the National Trust of Australia, ANZ is con- a former creek bed mean that it is impor-
Verdon Chambers, ANZ takes its responsibili- serving the sites in such a way as to reveal tant to undertake geothermal x-rays and
ty to preserve the building for future genera- and enhance the original work of 1883-1887. soil testing on a regular basis. These meas-
tions with great honour. Both the Gothic Bank This involves exposing original decorative ures help to determine if the site requires
and the former Stock Exchange building have finishes, fittings and joinery where practica- underpinning to prevent any major crack-
been classified by the National Trust of Aus- ble and illustrating the lifestyle pursued by ing or subsistence damage.
tralia (Victoria) as of world significance. the Verdon family.
The sites are included on the original His- In January 2015, ANZ appointed a spe- Carpentry and furniture
toric Buildings Register, which were gazetted cialist restoration painter to preserve the In 1885 Verdon accepted Mr James Bell’s
9 October 1974. The sites provide important highly decorative ceiling above the main (a cabinet-maker) tender of 1,961 pounds

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 AUSTRALIA

Gothic Bank, Banking Chamber 1928

construct the floor of the private entrance

to Verdon Chambers in elegant mosaic tiles.
The palatial interior is designed to provide a
contrast to the beautiful but restrained exte-
rior of the building.

Echoes of Venice
In his love for Gothic architecture Wardell
found a kindred spirit in George Verdon. The
Venetian-inspired wall-tiled loggia, a type of
balcony, on the exterior showed the influ-
ence of Venetian Gothic architecture, par-
ticularly the Ca d’Oro and the Doge’s Palace.
At Verdon’s request, Wardell designed the
loggia to protect the dining room from the
western sun and incorporated triple-glazed
windows, putting the design technically
ahead of its time.
Gothic Bank Banking Chamber
A visionary partnership
In 1883, Sir George Verdon, General Manger
of the English, Scottish and Australia Char-
tered Bank commissioned the design of the
for carpentry. Wardell had a high regard for Today ANZ is spending more than a Bank’s Australian headquarters. William
Bell’s ability, the two having worked togeth- million dollars to restore the exterior of the Wardell, a leader of the Gothic Revival move-
er on the Cathedrals of Melbourne and Syd- building; the replacement carving being ment and known for his work on St. Pat-
ney. Verdon’s particular interest in timbers undertaken by hand in situ by a highly skilled rick’s Cathedral in Melbourne and St. Mary’s
expressed itself in the elaborate joinery pan- local stonemason trained in Paris. Cathedral in Sydney, designed the building
elling and furniture in the Gothic Bank. in a sturdy architectural style in keeping with
Wardell specified American walnut doors, Painting and decorating the Bank’s protective function.
architraves and panels. Bell designed and built In 1887 ES&A awarded the contract for the Wardell’s design catered to Verdon’s
the magnificent linenfold (relief carved) doors painting and decorating of the Gothic Bank specific and slightly eccentric requirements -
in American walnut. Much of the third floor, to Lyon, Wells, Cottier and Co. The lavish including a dining room with an angle turret
however, was completed in deal - a wood from decoration includes ornate stencilling, friez- and spire where Verdon could see the ships
a coniferous tree - whilst Verdon’s furniture was es illuminated in gold leaf and embossed coming down the Yarra River to the turning
made from blackwood, which was a scarce Japanese leather and paper. Thousands of basin. He would open the window and lean
and valuable in Victoria. sheets of 23 karat gold leaf were beaten to out to watch for the arriving goods for which
a flimsy thickness by hand with the aid of a the bank had lent money.
Stone carving wooden maul covered with goat skin, while The winning tender from builders Goss
William J Maxwell, an Adelaide stonema- intricate Heraldic-Protestant style patterns and Masson was for £42,517 sterling and
son, who had worked for Wardell on St Mary’s adorn the ceilings. construction commenced in October 1883.
Cathedral, undertook the original stone carv- Minton & Co., renowned porcelain The Pyrmont yellow sandstone build-
ing on the exterior of the building. In 1886, ES&A and pottery manufacturers from Stafford- ing, on a Malmsbury blue stone plinth, was
paid £1,002 sterling for the stonemasonry. shire England, sent a man from London to erected 1883-1886. Verdon and Wardell, the

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AUST RA L I A

Gothic Bank Melbourne, 1912

visionary partnership, sourced the sand- In 1993, with the completion of a new Another key piece of 19th Century art is
stone from Saunders’ Purgatory Quarry, post-modern tower at 100 Queen Street, ANZ William Strutt’s ‘A pilgrimage to Canterbury
at Pyrrncnt in Sydney. committed twenty million dollars to the con- in the 14th Century’ based on Chaucer’s ‘A
servation and preservation of the heritage Canterbury Tale’.
More than a Bank sites: Verdon Chambers; the gothic bank- In 1887, Verdon’s view from the tur-
In 1921 the bank bought the adjacent ing chamber; the Cathedral Room of the ret down to the Yarra river would have been
property, the former Melbourne Stock Exchange Building; and the Safe Deposit site unobstructed and would have been similar
Exchange Building (constructed 1888- at 99 Queens Street. to Jacques Carabain’s ‘Port of Melbourne’,
1891) and the buildings were seamless- In 2012, the third floor was extensively which hangs in the residence.
ly connected in 1922 to accommodate renovated to marry the modern demands of
the Bank’s expansion. General Managers twenty-first century banking with the finery Stories to tell...
continued to reside in Verdon Chambers of the historic interiors. Whilst the third floor
until 1933. is primarily used for learning and develop- A surprising beginning
From 1934-1957 The Lyceum Club ment activities, all of the reception rooms on In 1837, the Crown sold the site upon which
(for educated and distinguished women) the second floor of the chambers were once the Gothic Bank stands for £61 sterling. On
occupied the residence, where the ladies again restored to their former glory. that site the Angel Inn was built. It is referred
were quick to point-out that the layout of to by locals as the ‘groggery’. The Angel Inn
the building (kitchen and dining on sep- Verdon the art connoisseur was one of the first seven licences granted
arate floors) considered poorly the prac- Verdon introduced the unknown Russian art- by the town of Melbourne and contained the
ticalities of maintaining a household. As ist, Nicholas Chevalier, to Australia and took first licensed billiard table. By 1840, the site’s
such, alterations were carried-out in 1934 a keen interest in promoting his talent amongst value had increased ten-fold and was pur-
for the princely sum of £2,000 sterling. Melbourne’s elite. Chevalier’s ‘Mt Cook and chased by William Bowman. It remained in
When the Lyceum Club vacated the premis- the Southern Alps’ is displayed in the hallway his family’s estate until it was sold to ES&A in
es in December 1957, ANZ continued to use of Verdon Chambers and, today, is one of the 1880 for £60,000 sterling - increasing in value
the premises for offices and hospitality. most valuable pieces in the residence. another ten-fold in 40 years.

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 AUSTRALIA

Gothic Bank Melbourne, 1921 Gothic Bank, Melbourne 2010

No expense spared the bank opened for business. It was Mel- raised the alarm and those staying in Ver-
Verdon was known for having exquisite bourne’s first large secular building con- don Chambers managed to fight the fire
taste with no expense spared. The original structed in the gothic style. At 31 March 1888 from the roof of the conservatory, sav-
approved budget was for “no greater than the cost of the new building stood in the ing the Chambers and the adjacent stock
40,000 pounds,” but on spending nearly dou- books at £77,393 sterling, including more exchange. The roof incurred considerable
ble that amount, ES&A sent one of the Bank’s than £8,000 sterling for furniture. water damage as a result of the attempt
Directors to Melbourne to control spiralling to distinguish the fire; it was left with
costs. The Director tried to cut expenses by Recouping some of that overspend a hole several feet wide. Repairs to the
cancelling the orders for elaborate fixtures On completion of the Gothic Bank, ES&A damage were made and the decoration
and trimmings. However, much of the carv- decided to sell an L-shaped section of the was re- applied using the original stencils
ing and purchasing had already been done. remaining site, fronting Collins Street and found in storage.
returning at a right angle to the rear to face
A near miss for Verdon onto Queen Street. The former Melbourne A ghostly tale in the library
George Verdon visited the site of the Cham- Stock Exchange was built on this site and Security guards at Verdon Chambers are
bers daily during construction. In 1884 a the cost of the land - £65,000 sterling hesitant to enter the library, alone, at night.
tragic crane accident led to the death of one - almost paid for the astronomical cost of the Legend has it that some years ago, a securi-
man and seriously injured another. It was prestigious bank. ty guard felt something cold brush past him
Sir George Verdon’s good fortune that day while on his nightly patrol. When he later
not to attend the site - the debris crashed in A lucky escape viewed the security footage he saw a strange
the same place and at the same time as he In 1912, a large fire broke out in a whole- light glide past him as he entered the library.
usually performed his inspection. sale ironmongery business in Little Col- There are also stories of lights in the library
lins Street at the rear of the Gothic Bank. inexplicably turning on and off.
Open for business A strong north wind spread the fire to
The building was to have been completed the roof of the Bank. Luckily, the daugh- All pictures: Reproduced with the permission of
by 30 March 1886. Finally, on 31 May 1887 ter of the general manager at the time Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited.

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BULGA R I A

The Bulgarian National Bank building

The Bulgarian National Bank, Publications Council

I
ncorporated in 1879, the Bulgarian
National Bank is the world’s thirteenth
oldest central bank.1 The Bank initial-
ly leased a building on Sofia’s Slavyans-
ka street, later moving into its own premis-
es, designed by Swiss architect of German
descent Henri (Jacob Heinrich) Meyer, on
Aleksandar I street. Over the two decades
preceding the 1912-13 Balkan Wars, the
Bank’s activity expanded, leading to the
need for new, more spacious and comfort-
able premises. The two floors added to the
building on the Aleksandar I Street after the
World War I failed to satisfy the need.

The present BNB Building

The history of the current premises on
Sofia’s Knyaz Aleksandar I square began on
29th March 1920 when the Governing Coun-
cil resolved:
...to acquire a plot bounded by four thorough-
fares, viz. an undivided city block, and to con- The first BNB proprietary premises, designed by architect Henri (Jacob Heinrich) Meyer - BNB Archives
struct thereon proprietary chambers for the
Bank that shall rise to its needs for more than
fifty years hence.
Alongside this, the Board endowed a of central bank buildings at first hand. A Architecture and exteriors
Bank ‘Chambers Plot Purchase and Con- tender for erecting the concrete structure The Bank building is an example of modern
struction Account’. The required funds were ran in early 1935, and was eventually won 1930s architecture combined with classical
to be deducted from annual profits, com- by the Rella u. Neffe A.G. contractors. Exca- architectural proportions and Romanticist
mencing with the profit for 1919. As early as vations began on 1 March the same year. elements.
the following year, the account had accumu- In a 20th October 1935 ceremony Min- The very conception by architects Ivan
lated more funds than provisioned by the ister of Finance Marko Ryaskov (who had Vasilyov and Dimitar Tsolov impresses: the
Governing Council. In the event, even this served as BNB Governor until earlier that authors rejected the idea that the Archae-
was to turn out to have been short: the ulti- year) laid down the building’s founda- ological Museum building, housed in the
mate bill in the late thirties was to be ten tion stone. Custom dictated that he deliv- refurbished 15th Century Ottoman period
times greater. er three hammer blows to the stone while Büyük Camii mosque, should be demol-
intoning the words “May it last unto eter- ished. Instead, they drew a U-shaped edi-
Construction nity!” Prime Minister Andrey Toshev and fice whose open end was flanked by the
In November 1933 the BNB Governing Coun- the complete Council of Ministers attend- Renaissance Ottoman structure. The
cil adopted Governor Nikola Momchilov’s ed, while Sofia Metropolitan Bishop Ste- museum building coexists harmoniously
proposal of appointing architect Ivan Vasi- fan conducted Eastern Orthodox consecra- with the Bank’s edifice, facing as it does all
lyov to conduct the site investigation, pro- tion rites. A special glass phial containing four points of the compass.
pose design drafts for the future premises, a scroll recording the event and presenting The architectural plan features mod-
and act as the clerk of works. Vasilyov duly examples of all coins and bills ever issued ern vertical divisions and functionali-
toured Western Europe to study the features by the Bank was set by the stone. Works ty. The building does not overpower, yet
ended in late 1940. is seven storeys high. Four of those rise
1 Capie, F., G. Charles and N. Schnadt, The Development of
Central Banking, Cambridge University Press, 2012, p 6. above ground level, three sinking below

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 BULGARIA

The building under construction - BNB Archives

The northwestern façade of the current BNB building architectural ensemble

- BNB Archives

The Governor’s study - BNB Archives

it. The facades are clad in limestone slabs level, is a granite drinking basin and foun- architectural elucidation, and the quality of
(quarried near the city of Vratsa) and dec- tain decorated with a bronze leonine head. materials and workmanship, rank among the
orated with sculptures and reliefs alluding Covered in dark green patinated very best of their period. Spiral staircases at
to the building’s purpose. bronze, the four main entrance doors car- each corner of the hall lead to ground level.
The northwestern corner features ry relief motifs from the seals and coinage The numerous stairways and pas-
a clock tower, while another clock sits of 13th century Bulgarian rulers Tsar Ivan sages between individual areas convey a
beneath an elegant pinnacle decorating Asen II and Tsar Konstantin Tih Asen. sense of spaciousness. A number of tech-
the western façades. A stone statue by Prof nical solutions which were advanced for
Lubomir Dalchev of Sveti Nikola, patron The interior their time enhance the building’s function-
saint of seafarers, merchants, and bank- The interior combines the designers’ striv- ality: the spacious safe deposit vault, lifts
ers, decorates the northwestern entrance. ing for a sense of spaciousness through the intended for diverse loads, and the sinu-
The northern façade houses the sculpted greatest possible ingress of natural day- ous copper piping of the pneumatic cap-
heads of ancient deities Hermes and Fortu- light into the premises, and purposeful sule pipeline.
na: symbols of success, wealth, and com- functionality. The four grilles on the tellers’ hall
merce. Over the eastern façade entrance, The mezzanine facing the main entrance entrance doors feature bronze lions hold-
a stone relief by Prof Luben Dimitrov sym- lobby houses the tellers’ hall, topped with ing heraldic shields with diverse motifs sym-
bolises strength and endurance: twin a huge skylight. The eastern and west- bolising Bulgaria’s major industries at the
lions face each other with an oak leaf and ern wings of the first floor have open gal- time: manufacturing, agriculture, and com-
twin acorns between them. The southern leries over the hall; another gallery graces merce. They were wrought by Prof Mihay-
façade’s top floor carries a large sculptur- the fifth floor, in the tower. A discrete stair- lo Parashchuk, who also decorated the face
al composition by Kiril Shivarov depicting case amid the tellers’ hall leads to the under- of the large clock on the southern wall of
Hermes and Fortuna. Beneath it, at street ground public safe deposit vault, whose the tellers’ hall and designed the exquisite

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BULGA R I A

The Governing Council Chamber - BNB Archives A stained glass window by Prof Ivan Penkov; made by
Franz Mayer & Co. of Munich. - BNB Archives

Musharabiya stonework grilles. These lat- The bank building has a special corner studies features the portraits of each
ter are placed over internal windows fac- reflecting Bulgarian history: the memorial BNB Governor since incorporation.
ing the hall. wall and eternal flame commemorate the
The decorative and monumental piec- names of BNB staff who fell in the 1912– Museum
es in the bank building include a number 13 and 1915–18 Wars for Bulgarian Nation- The western wing gallery houses a standing
of stained glass murals. Designed by Prof al Unification and National Defence. museum display. The idea for its creation
Ivan Penkov, the western staircase vitrage arose at the end of the twenties. The first
depicts coins minted by the Second Bulgari- Art exhibition of coinage and bills was held
an Empire between the 12th and 14th centu- In the tradition of significant financial in the teller’s hall in 1969. The current dis-
ries; images of the Tsars Ivan Asen II; Konstan- institutions maintaining extensive art col- play opened in 1999 as part of marking the
tin Tih Asen; Ivan Aleksandar; Ivan Sratsimir; lections, the BNB opened its doors to Bank’s 120th anniversary. The unique col-
and images of several architectural ensem- the arts from its very incorporation. The lection presents a wealth of classical and
bles from the same period. Designed by Prof first works acquired were the sculptures, mediaeval coinage dating to the 5th centu-
Dechko Uzunov, the governing council cham- entitled ‘Gloire au Travail’ by Henri Lou- ry BC, and which were discovered on Bul-
ber stained glass window features motifs is Levasseur, which won a gold medal at garian soil. Also present are: coins issued
from Bulgarian commercial life. The cham- the 1882 Paris Salon des Beaux Arts; and by the BNB; the history of BNB banknote
ber’s interior décor, alongside that of the Gov- Andrey Nikolov’s 1916 ‘Detski San’. The col- issue since 1885; and the Bank’s role in issu-
ernor’s study, has been preserved unchanged. lection encompasses works by dozens of ing national currency, managing cash circu-
Both vitrages were made at the Franz May- other eminent Bulgarian artists. The pre- lation, and destroying withdrawn cash.
er & Co. workshops in Munich. A new stained dominant part of paintings, sculptures and A landmark of the Bulgarian capital,
glass window designed by Prof Nikolay carvings are displayed around Bank offic- the Bulgarian National Bank building was
Drachev was installed at the central staircase es and halls, while the eastern wing gal- listed as a Nationally Significant Monument
in 2006. lery traversing governing council member of Culture in 1978.

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 BUL GARIA

The Eastern Wing gallery with portraits of BNB Governors since The Memorial Wall listing the names of BNB staff, who fell in the wars for Bulgarian
incorporation. - BNB Archives National Unification and National Defence. - BNB Archives

All images: © BNB Archives

The BNB Standing Museum Display - BNB Archives

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CZE C HOSLOVA K I A

The National Bank of Czechoslovakia building

Jakub Kunert

W
henever the name of the Czech
National Bank is mentioned
today, the spectacular func-
tionalist building designed by František
Roith and built originally for Živnostenská
banka, comes to mind. This building, how-
ever, has functioned as a central bank for
“only” the last sixty years.1 The oldest surviv-
ing monument to the history of central bank-
ing in what is today the Czech Republic is the
Schebek (also Šebek) Palace, which is locat-
ed at No. 936 Politických vězňů Street, for-
merly Bredovská Street. The palace succes-
sively housed the Austro-Hungarian Bank,
the Banking Office of the Ministry of Finance,
the National Bank of Czechoslovakia (the
National Bank for Bohemia and Moravia and
the National Bank) and the State Bank of
Czechoslovakia. Office of the governor of the National Bank of Czechoslovakia (Schebek Palace)
The neo-renaissance Schebek Palace
was erected on the site of the orphanage of
St. John the Baptist. In 1868 it was sold to
two leading railway entrepreneurs – Baron
Jan Schebek and Baron František Ringhof-
fer. Baron Schebek had a new palace built
on his property, which faced onto Bredovská
Street. He commissioned builder František
Havel and architect Vojtěch Ignác Ullmann
to construct the palace. Ullmann designed
a three-floor, four-wing palace with grand
halls and comfortable apartments locat-
ed around a rectangular inner courtyard.
Vojtěch Ignác Ullmann was one of Prague’s
most important architects at that time and
had already completed a number of oth-
er palaces designed as status symbols and
exclusive living spaces.2 Historical referenc-
es describe it as the most luxurious residen-
tial complex. Crown Prince Rudolf was said
to have used it during his stay in Prague.3 Staircase in the National Bank of The National Bank of Czechoslovakia building
While Ullmann’s previous buildings Czechoslovakia building (Schebek Palace) (Schebek Palace)
had been designed in the neo-Renaissance
style inspired by the 16th century Venetian
Renaissance, the new Schebek Palace was
inspired by the Roman Renaissance. The pal-
ace attracted attention thanks mainly to its
spectacular façade and its marble staircase

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 CZECHOSLOVAKIA

Meeting room of the bank board of the National Bank of Czechoslovakia Vestibule of the Meeting room of the bank board of the National Bank
(Schebek Palace) of Czechoslovakia (Schebek Palace)

leading up to the second floor, where the This required an increase in the range and place, as the officials of the Banking Office
main ceremonial rooms were located. number of offices as well as business, stor- and later the National Bank reached agree-
Besides the Grand Hall, the most important age, operational and technical rooms.7 ment with the other owners of the buildings
room in the palace was without doubt the It soon became clear that the building between Jindřišská, Růžová and Bredovská
Lunette Hall. Decorated by Czech painter would not be able to properly fulfil the role streets regarding the purchase of their prop-
Viktor Barvitius,4 it depicted the story of the of headquarters of the bank of issue. Prob- erties. However, a number of legal disputes
palace owner’s grandparents in ten lunettes. lems arose in the area of safekeeping of val- had to be resolved. The buying-up process
Construction of the palace lasted two years, uables, as the newly built strongrooms in the was not completed until 1936 and the total
from 1870 to 1872. For 18 years the building basement were too small. There was also a cost ran to more than 32.5 million crowns.
was inhabited by the Schebek family. It was shortage of suitable rooms for debiting ser- The total area selected for the site of the new
then bought by the Austro-Hungarian Bank, vices and treasury note handling and print- headquarters was more than 7,000 square
which, after making the necessary modifi- ing. This difficult situation is demonstrated, metres in size and consisted of building nos.
cations, started using it as the home of its among other things, by the fact that the deb- 936, 937, 938, 939 (the Deym Palace),11 940,
Prague branch.5 Throughout the existence iting department was moved to the attic as a 941, 942, 943, 946, 947 and 1511 (the for-
of the Austro-Hungarian Bank, the build- makeshift measure and the directorate was mer palace of Banka stavebních živností
ing fully met the requirements of the Prague located in the mezzanine. Even the meetings a průmyslu).12
branch. Prior to World War I just 28 clerks of the Banking Committee had to be held at Even before the first portion of land
and 14 junior clerks were employed at the the Ministry of Finance’s headquarters in the adjoining Růžová Street had been pur-
Prague branch.6 Clam-Gallas Palace. It was therefore decided chased, preparations were commenced for
A new phase in the history of the Sche- in 1919 to extend the palace, even though it the construction of a building to house a
bek Palace began after the establishment formally belonged to the Austro-Hungarian future printing works for state notes (and
of the Czechoslovak Republic in 1918. The Bank until 1924,8 and to acquire the houses later banknotes). Apartments for employ-
original branch was converted into the head between Bredovská, Jindřišská and Růžová ees were to be located in the rear section of
office at the decision of the General Council streets for banking purposes. Consequent- the building.13 The Bank Committee passed
of the Austro-Hungarian Bank of 28 Novem- ly, plans were made to build a new palace a decision at the start of 1920 commission-
ber 1918, and the building was acquired by for the Banking Office, whose façade was to ing architect Josef Záruba-Pfeffermann14
the administration of the Banking Office of face onto Jindřišská Street, while maintain- to design the overall layout of the block of
the Ministry of Finance three months lat- ing the Schebek Palace. To speed up the pur- houses surrounding the Schebek Palace in
er (on 11 March 1919). Its headquarters chase of adjoining properties, on 14 April addition to the annex in the courtyard.15 The
and head office, essentially the branch for 1920 the Czechoslovak government declared building plans16 were subsequently assessed
Prague, were located there. These insti- the building of a new bank of issue to be a by a committee of experts in printing and
tutional changes, which mirrored a huge construction in the public interest pursuant printing machines. They included Dr Hein-
increase in work relating to the administra- to Act No. 87/1920 Coll.9 This enabled it to rich, an expert from the Austro-Hungarian
tion of the Czechoslovak currency, were nat- apply expropriation proceedings to all build- Bank who had been involved in the build-
urally reflected in an increase in the number ings that were useable for the future bank- ing of the banknote printing works in Vien-
of officials (from 62 to five times that figure). ing palace.10 In the end no expropriation took na. Based on his practical experience, he

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CZE C HOSLOVA K I A

solution would be no easy task. The short-

age of administrative space at the bank of
issue had become so acute that some of the
bank’s units had to be located outside its
headquarters and were scattered across the
centre of Prague.30 Projects attempting to
solve the desperate situation in new ways
thus began to surface.31 These recommend-
ed, for example, erecting a nine-floor building
in Jindřišská Street, taking over the premises
of Böhmische Escompte Bank in liquidation
(near the Powder Tower) and moving the new
building to plot no. 698 at Příkopy (known
as Myslbek), which at the time was owned
by Böhmische Union Bank (national enter-
prise in liquidation).32
Only the establishment of the State
Bank of Czechoslovakia in 1950, with head-
quarters in the building of the former Živnos-
tenská banka (called “Office No. 1), showed
The National Bank of Czechoslovakia building Building of the banknote printing works of the a way out of the desperate space situation.
(Schebek Palace) National Bank of Czechoslovakia The former premises of the National Bank of
Czechoslovakia, including the Schebek Pal-
ace, passed to “Office No. 2”, in which some
declared the project to be unsuitable and Board, the Governor’s offices and the Direc- organisational units continued to operate.33
in need of redrafting, and he even prepared torate. Following the renovation of the inte- The building became redundant for the State
draft plans for the future banknote print- rior, the portal of the Schebek Palace was Bank of Czechoslovakia at the start of the
ing works himself. As Pfeffermann stopped also altered. Allegorical statues of a man and 1960s and was thus transferred to the Czech-
communicating with representatives of the a woman by sculptor Josef Wagner24 were oslovak Academy of Sciences in 1963.34 The
Banking Office, the prominent Czech archi- installed into empty niches between two pairs central bank, which reserved the right to use
tect Josef Sakař, the designer of numerous of column with cannelures by the entrance. part of the premises for its purposes after the
grand buildings in Prague, including banks, The banknote printing works togeth- building was transferred to the ownership of
was asked to submit new sketches.17 In 1922, er with the adjoining buildings in Růžová the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, later
the design was approved by foreign experts, Street were in fact the first dedicated prem- located its economics institute in this build-
who went so far as to call it the most modern ises of the Banking Office of the Ministry of ing. The building currently houses the Eco-
in Europe.18 The well-known construction Finance and subsequently the National Bank nomics Institute of the Czech Academy of
company, V. Nekvasil, based in the Karlín of Czechoslovakia in the area demarcated by Sciences and the specialised Center for Eco-
district of Prague, took on the construction Bredovská, Jindřišská and Růžová streets. nomic Research and Graduate Education of
work in 1924–1927.19 The neoclassical build- The bank’s technical department started to Charles University (CERGE).
ing is dominated by a portal with a balcony, prepare for the construction of a new bank-
whose pillars bear sculptures of a printer and ing palace in the second half of the 1930s.25 All images: © CNB
a photographer, with the head of the Repub- This involved a study trip by the head of26
lic in the middle. Sculptors Celda Klouček,20 pean banks of issue and their buildings.
Karel Pavlík21 and Antonín Odehnal22 deco- Based on the new findings,27 surveys and Author profile
rated the façade of the building. questionnaires were drawn up so that organ-
After part of the staff and equipment isational units could specify their space Jakub Kunert (1977) graduated in history
were moved to the new banknote printing requirements in the new building.28 After the and archival science from Charles University
works, it became possible to start remodel- surveys and questionnaires were evaluated, in Prague in 2002. He trained at the State dis-
ling rooms in the Schebek Palace. This pro- a preliminary project was prepared. Howev- trict archive in Prague and at the Archive of
ject was led by architect Josef Velflík23 who er, it was not implemented due to a lack of the Czech National Bank. 2004 he joined the
had worked as a technical expert for the materials and requisite labour force during Archive of the Czech National Bank as senior
Banking Office and later the National Bank World War II. archivist. Since 2009 he has been working as
of Czechoslovakia. The work continued until Work on the project was revived only a chief archivist of the Czech National Bank.
1928 and involved alterations to the ceremo- after the end of the occupation of Czech lands He is also the representative of the Czech
nial rooms of the palace so that they could by Nazi Germany.29 By then, however, it was National Bank in the ESCB Information Man-
be used fully as meeting rooms for the Bank becoming apparent that finding a definitive agement Network.

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 CZECHOSLOVAKIA

1 For more on the history of this building, see Jakub Kunert, The 13 The block of the building containing bank apartments included 27 He compiled a detailed report on his study trip to the banks of
Živnostenská Banka building, in: eabh Bulletin 1/2016, pp. 34–35. a stately apartment for the Governor and Chief Executive Director issue in Paris, London, Brussels, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Oslo,
2 Vojtěch Ignác Ullmann (1822–1897), a prominent Czech archi- of the National Bank of Czechoslovakia. For more on the recon- Stockholm and Berlin on 16 June–16 July 1937. The report is a
tect. Among other buildings, he built the Lažanský Palace and the struction and furnishings, see AČNB, NBČ/1611/1, Různé písem- remarkable summary of his findings not only about the build-
Böhmische Sparkasse Palace in Prague. nosti týkající se novostavby tiskárny bankovek, (Various doc- ings, but also about the work style and work habits of local
3 See Jaroslav Kolářík, Peníze a politika. Karel Engliš, bojovník o uments regarding the new building of the banknote printing staff. See AČNB, NBČ/1439/1, Zpráva o studijní cestě do Paříže,
stabilisaci. Prague 1937, p. 555. works), box no. 1611 and NBČ/1608/3, Zařízení reprezentačních Londýna, Bruselu, Amsterodamu, Kodaně, Oslo, Stockhol-
4 Antonín Viktor Barvitius (1823–1901), a prominent Czech archi- prostor guvernéra, Praha II. č. 947 (Furnishings of the Governor’s mu a Berlína a prohlídce tamních cedulových banky a jiných
tect and designer. ceremonial rooms, Prague II, no. 947), box no. 1608. bank obchodních (Report on a study trip to Paris, London, Brus-
5 Václav Ledvinka – Bohumír Mráz – Vít Vlnas, Pražské paláce 14 Josef Záruba-Pfeffermann (1869–1938), Czech architect and sels, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm and Berlin and
(encyklopedický ilustrovaný přehled), Prague 1995, pp. 262–266. politician, deputy of the Revolutionary National Assembly in inspections of local banks of issue and other commercial banks),
6 Josef Kreysa, Technická správa. in: Deset let Národní banky 1918–1920. box no. 1439.
Československé. Prague 1937. p. 110. 15 AČNB, NBČ/1719/2, Materiál „Návrh na vypracování plánů pro 28 See AČNB, NBČ/1549/2, Projekt nového bankovního paláce N.
7 Czech National Bank Archive (hereinafter AČNB), archival hold- stavbu tiskárny“ (Document entitled “Proposal for drafting plans B. v Praze, Dopis technického oddělení na úvěrový odbor z 2.
ing the National Bank of Czechoslovakia (hereinafter NBČ), for the construction of a printing works”), s. d. (prior to 11 May 12. 1938 (Project for a new banking palace of the N.B. in Prague,
NBČ/987/2, Vyvlastňování budov dle zákona z 3. 2. 1920, Vše- 1920, box no. 1719. Letter of 2 December 1938 from the technical department to
obecně-technické zprávy (bankovní budovy a pensijního fon- 16 For more on Pfeffermann’s design, see AČNB, NBČ/1449/4, Stave- the loan department) and Ibid., Oběžník z 15. 4. 1941 (Memo of
du), Zvyšování činží, domovní řád – Technická správa (Statutory bní plány tiskárny BUMF, k. č. 1449 (Building plans for the printing 15 April 1941), box no. 1549.
expropriation of buildings of 3 February 1920, General and tech- works of the Bank Office of the Ministry of Finance, box no. 1449). 29 Ibid., Dopis technické správy na úvěrový odbor z 2. 4. 1947 (Letter
nical reports (bank buildings and pension fund), Increase in rents, 17 AČNB, NBČ/1719/2, Technická zpráva o vypracování plánů pro of 2 April 1947 from the technical administration unit to the loan
house rules – Technical administration), box no. 987. stavbu státní tiskárny na bankovky v Praze v Růžové ulici z 10. 8. department), box no. 1549.
8 The Banking Office became the owner of the Schebek Pal- 1922, k. č. 1719 (Technical report of 10 August 1922 on drafting 30 The problems with space worsened, among other reasons,
ace only in 1924 after purchasing all properties owned by the plans for the construction of a state banknote printing works in because the building of the National Bank housed the Prague
Austro-Hungarian Bank, which was in liquidation - and locat- Prague, Růžová Street, box no. 1719).Sakař was already a mem- Commodities and Securities Exchange. It was relocated there
ed in Czechoslovakia. The palace was valued at 479.000 Czech- ber of the Banking Office’s building committee. This may be in 1943 at the decision of the occupying authorities, as its build-
oslovak crowns (see AČNB, NBČ/235/1, Dohody a smlouvy, why he was approached to take over Pfeffermann’s work on the ing was taken over by the Duisburg Opera. See AČNB, NBČ/991/4,
Kupní smlouva o pozemcích, budovách a zařízení filiálek Rak- project. Pražská burza pro zboží a cenné papíry (Prague Commodities
ousko-uherské banky na území Československé republiky ze 17. 18 AČNB, NBČ/1719/2, Dopis Bankovního úřad ministerstva financí and Securities Exchange), box no. 991.
1. 1924 /Agreements and contracts, Contract of 17 January 1924 na ministerstvo veřejných prací, odbor 3B z 30. 8. 1923 (Letter of 31 Relocation proposals had appeared sporadically prior to 1939.
for the purchase of land, buildings and equipment of branch- 30 August 1923 from the Bank Office of the Ministry of Finance One option had been to purchase the Bankovní dům Petschek
es of the Austro-Hungarian Bank in the territory of the Czecho- to the Ministry of Public Works, department 3B), box no. 1719. Dr a spol. building, whose owners had decided to leave Czecho-
slovak Republic/), box no. 235. Until then, however, the Banking Heinrich of the Austro-Hungarian Bank, Georg Nicolaus from Ber- slovakia when the danger from Nazi Germany had been intensi-
Office fully respected the ownership rights of the previous bank lin, and Mr Hellerbart, Chief Inspector of the Vienna banknote fying (see AČNB, NBČ/3/32, Zápis o schůzi užšího výboru bank-
of issue and consulted its representatives on all modifications printing works. For more on their statements, see Ibid., Zápis o ovní rady konané dne 16. 1. 1939 (Minutes of a meeting of the
(see e.g., AČNB, NBČ/1450/2, Stavební správa Bankovního úřadu, schůzi stavebního komitétu konané dne 24. září 1923 (Minutes select committee of the Bank Board held on 16 January 1939),
čp. 936, Zabrání budov pro účely veřejné, Dopis Rakousko-uh- of the meeting of the building committee held on 24 Septem- pp. 32–33, box no. 3. Similarly, the purchase of the Česká spořitel-
erské banky, Vídeň na Bankovní úřad ministerstva financí č. j. ber 1923), box no. 1719 and NBČ, 1694/1, Tiskárna bankovek, na (Böhmische Sparkasse) building had been considered during
5163/1919 z 27. 12. 1919 /Buildings administration of the Banking dobrozdání expertů ( Banknote printing works, expert opinion), World War II. Paradoxically, this building had also been designed
Office, building no. 936, Expropriation of buildings in the public box no. 1694. by Vojtěch Ignác Ullmann (see AČNB, NBČ/1549/2, Projekt
interest, Letter of 27 December 1919 from the Austro-Hungarian 19 For more on the progress of work, see AČNB, NBČ/1462/2, Tiskár- nového bankovního paláce N. B. v Praze, Technická zpráva … o
Bank, Vienna to the Banking Office of the Ministry of Finance Ref. na bankovek, Zprávy pro bankovní radu o postupu stavby prohlídce a přibližném odhadu nemovitostí Spořitelny české 13.
No. 5163/1919/), box no. 1450.After the National Bank of Czecho- tiskárny bankovek v Růžové ulici z let 1923–1930 (Banknote print- 8. 1941 /Project for a new banking palace of the N.B. in Prague,
slovakia was established, it signed an agreement with the Bank- ing works, Reports for the Bank Board regarding progress with Technical report of 13 August 1941…on an inspection and an
ing Office on 2 February 1927 under which the new bank of issue the construction of the banknote printing works in Růžová Street approximate assessment of property of Spořitelna česká/, box
took over these and other newly purchased properties. (Ibid., from 1923–1930), box no. 1462. no. 1549.
NBČ/207/4, Budovy v Praze, kupní smlouvy k budovám vlast- 20 Prof. Celda (Celestin) Klouček (1855–1935), Czech sculptor, stucco 32 Ibid., Projekt nového bankovního paláce NB v Praze, Dop-
něným NBČ v Praze /Buildings in Prague, contracts for the pur- worker, designer and professor at the Academy of Arts, Architec- is Národní banky Československé na ministerstvo financí z 3. 4.
chase of buildings owned by the National Bank of Czechoslova- ture and Design in Prague. 1948 (Project for a new banking palace of the NB in Prague, Letter
kia in Prague/, box no. 207 and NBČ/235/1, Dohody a smlouvy, 21 Karel Pavlík (1874–1947), Czech sculptor, a student of professor of 3 April 1948 from the National Bank of Czechoslovakia to the
Úmluva mezi vládou republiky Československé a Národní bank- Celda Klouček. Ministry of Finance) and Ibid., Dopis Národní banky Českoslov-
ou Československou o vyúčtování a z něho plynoucí úpravě práv 22 Antonín Odehnal (1878–1957), Czech sculptor and medal-maker. enské na Plánovací komisi pro Prahu a okolí ze 7. 6. 1948 (Let-
a závazků vzniklých pro obě strany z 2. 2. 1927 /Agreements and 23 Prof. Josef Velflík (1867–1943), Czech architect and professor at ter of 7 June 1948 from the National Bank of Czechoslovakia to
contracts, Agreement of 2 February 1927 between the govern- the State Technical School in Prague. Among other things, he the Planning Committee for Prague and surrounding areas), box
ment of the Czechoslovak Republic and the National Bank of was involved in the construction of office buildings for the Pen- no. 1549.
Czechoslovakia about the settlement and the resulting adjust- sion Fund of the National Bank of Czechoslovakia. 33 M, 04.: For relocation. Časopis zaměstnanců Státní banky
ment of rights and obligations for the two parties of 2. 2. 1927/, 24 For more on the commissioning of the order, see AČNB, československé v Praze, II/3, p. 8. After its establishment, the
box no. 235). NBČ/3/25, Zápis o schůzi užšího výboru bankovní rady konané State Bank of Czechoslovakia took over the rights and obliga-
9 See Act No. 87/1920 Coll., allowing a loan and establishing a dne 21. 12. 1927 (Minutes of the meeting of the select committee tions of Czechoslovak banks by way of singular succession. In the
building fund for new buildings of the Parliament, official cen- of the Bank Board held on 21 December 1927), box no. 3.Josef case of property, however, this only involved operational prop-
tral government buildings, universities and other grand state Wagner (1901–1957), Czech sculptor and draughtsman, professor erty management by the Czechoslovak state. See, for example,
buildings. at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague. AČNB, archival holding Státní banka československá – Nemovito-
10 AČNB, NBČ/1719/2, Materiál „Návrh na vypracování plánů pro 25 Departments started to be relocated to the Schebek Palace at sti (hereinafter SBČS-Nem), SBČS-Nem/30, Dům čp. 936 v Praze
stavbu tiskárny“ (Document entitled “Proposal for elaborating the end of 1936 so that the buildings in place of which the new 2, Dopis Právního oddělení na Obvodní pobočku Praha 3, Sprá-
plans for building a printing works”), s. d. (prior to 11 May 1920), banking palace was to be built could be demolished. See AČNB, va nemovitostí z 14. 2. 1959 (House no. 936 in Prague 2, Letter of
box no. 1719. NBČ/85/10, Zápis schůze administrativního odboru ze dne 24. 14 February 1959 from the legal department to the Prague 3 Dis-
11 The façade of the Deym (or Harrach) Palace is a dominant 11. 1936 (Minutes of the meeting of the administrative depart- trict Branch, Property management), box no. 6.
Baroque feature of Jindřišská Street. Doubts about demolishing ment held on 27 November 1936, pp. 13–21), pp. 13–21, box 34 Ibid., Dům čp. 936 v Praze 2, Zpráva pro ředitele správy organ-
it thus arose when the project for the new Banking Office building no. 85. However, the construction was delayed further because izační a rozpočtové SBČS L. Zrzavého „Převod budovy čp. 936
was being prepared. Extensive historical research proved that the the National Bank of Czechoslovakia refused to accept a new v Praze 1, Tř. polit. vězňů č. 7, do správy ČSAV z 14. 2. 1959 (House
frontage was not an original Baroque one. Nonetheless, the Stát- street line set by the State Regulation Committee for Prague and no. 936 in Prague 2, Letter of 14 February 1959 to the Director
ní památkový ústav (Historic Preservation Office) long opposed surrounding areas. Under the new zoning rule, Jindřišská Street of the Organisational and Budget Administration of the State
the bank of issue’s plan to demolish the palace on the grounds was to be widened significantly and all new buildings moved Bank of Czechoslovakia L. Zrzavý “Transfer of building no. 936 in
that the first Czechoslovak government had been based there accordingly – to the detriment of the building owners, of course. Prague 1, Tř. polit. vězňů 7 to the management of the Czechoslo-
in 1919. See AČNB, NBČ/1409/1, Historie domu č. 939 Deymo- See AČNB, NBČ/1549/2, Projekt nového bankovního paláce N. B. vak Academy of Sciences), box no. 6. Similarly, the operational
va paláce (dříve Harrachův palác) a písemnosti týkající se domu: v Praze, Dopis Národní banky Československé na Státní regu- administration of other buildings between Jindřišská, Politických
historie Deymova domu (History of house no. 939, the Deym Pal- lační komisí pro hlavní město Prahu s okolím z 18. 1. 1938 (Project vězňů (formerly Bredovská) and Růžová streets was also trans-
ace (formerly the Harrach Palace), and documents regarding the for a new banking palace of the N.B. in Prague, letter of 18 Janu- ferred to other entities. See, for example, AČNB, SBČS-Nem/31,
house: history of the Deym house), box no. 1409. ary 1938 from the National Bank of Czechoslovakia to the State Dům čp. 937 v Praze 2 (House no. 937 in Prague 2), box no. 6.
12 For more on the specificities of the land on which the new building of Regulation Committee for Prague and surrounding areas), box
the Banking Office of the Ministry of Finance/National Bank of Czech- no. 1549.
oslovakia was to be built, see AČNB, NBČ/1719/2, Dopis Bankovního 26 Jaroslav František Stockar-Bernkopf (1890–1977), a prominent
úřadu ministerstva financí na Státní regulační komisi z 30. 10. 1923 Czech architect. In 1935–1945 he headed the technical depart-
(Letter of 20 October 1923 from the Banking Office of the Ministry of ment of the National Bank of Czechoslovakia and later the
Finance to the State Regulation Committee), box no. 1719. National Bank for Bohemia and Moravia.

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DE N M A R K

Danmarks Nationalbank – A monumental

work of contemporary architecture
Pia Jønsson

I
n the very heart of Copenhagen, facing
the waterfront and heritage buildings,
stands a modern landmark, the cen-
tral bank of Denmark. It is an accomplished
building in the design of both its exterior and
interior. The streamlined and stark appear-
ance of this functionalist marble and glass
structure interacts with the warm organic
materials within, creating a uniquely unified
whole. It was designed by the world-famous
perfectionist modernist Arne Jacobsen.
After the Second World War, the prem-
ises that housed the central bank of Den-
mark, Danmarks Nationalbank, had become
cramped, and larger facilities were need-
ed. The bank was domiciled in a complex Facing the waterfront and heritage buildings stands a modern landmark, the central bank of Denmark
of buildings, while the main building was
not part of a continuous block. Designed
between 1865 and 1870, and lavishly orna-
mented in the style of Florentine Renaissance
palaces, it was in keeping with venerable,
heritage bank premises around the world.
A majority of jury members named The project planning was detailed in the
New requirements to be met the Danish architect Arne Jacobsen’s pro- extreme, with thousands of plans, each with
In 1961, Danmarks Nationalbank invited five posal the winning submission. This project itemised time and cost estimates. All the
prominent architects and design offices of entailed demolition of the existing build- façades were manufactured within the first
the day to participate in a closed architectural ing to create new aesthetic values through construction stage to ensure that they were
competition. This was the outcome of a pro- an interaction between the modern com- ready to be fitted with glass infills at the time
posal to consolidate the bank’s presence and plex, the heritage buildings that surrounded when they were to be installed. As a result
activities in a single modern building com- it, and the waterfront. This solution met the of the strict control and detailed planning
plex, taking into account its various functions operational requirements of the bank, while of the construction process, which involved
and its central location, which is surrounded the architectural vision was convincing. Fur- comprehensive coordination and weekly
by historical buildings, ministries and busi- thermore, the jury found that the concentra- meetings, this grand and challenging pro-
nesses alike. Given the complexity of the pro- tion of the bank’s departments in a tall wing ject was executed on budget and on time.
ject, the competition programme gave the offered a number of advantages in terms of
participants the scope to decide whether the layout so that large parts of the complex, A reputable architect and his loyal team
existing main bank building should be pre- facing the historic buildings, could be kept At the time of being awarded this commis-
served or demolished. The rest of the existing much lower. sion, Arne Jacobsen (1902-1971) was already
complex was to be pulled down. To obtain the It was crucial that the bank’s various recognised as an acclaimed architect and
best possible basis for evaluating the incom- operations would not be interrupted by con- designer internationally for the vast number
ing proposals, each of them was analysed struction of the extensive complex. The pro- of buildings, furniture and designer items to
by experts with reference to a set of criteria. ject was therefore split up into three stag- his name. These are now widely regarded as
These concerned harmonising the complex es, with individual bank departments to be Modernist classics.
with the urban environs as well as fulfilling transferred as soon as the various sections As early as in 1929, the 27-year-old Arne
the bank’s operational requirements. became ready. Jacobsen had established himself as one of

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There are almost 20 meters to the ceiling in the cathedral.like lobby. Daylight enters through tall, narrow windows between the façade pillars

the most visionary and progressive Danish the AJ cutlery (1957), the Vola tapware (1959), In 1971 Arne Jacobsen died sudden-
architects of his day when he was awarded the Cylinda-line (1967) interior design/house- ly, just after the materials for the Danmarks
the first prize for the ultra-modernistic, ‘The hold ware and the Banker’s Clock. Interna- Nationalbank building had been select-
House of the Future’. This was a concept pre- tionally, Jacobsen is perhaps most famous ed and the first stage of construction had
sented at The Building and Housing Exhibi- for his iconic furniture designs, including been completed. This comprised the north-
tion of the Danish Association of Architects in The Ant (1952) and Series 7 (1955) stacking ern end of the tall block and the first sec-
Copenhagen. Arne Jacobsen was one of the chairs, The Egg (1958) and The Swan (1958) tion of the office wing, the banknote print-
first to introduce and adopt modernism in lounge seating. ing works, and the technical room and
Denmark, which was inspired by Le Corbusier. With his holistic and perfectionist canteen facilities.
Jacobsen’s major architectural works approach to both the smallest finesse and The architects Hans Dissing (1926-1998)
include the Bellavista housing estate (1934), the overall appearance of his projects, Arne and Otto Weitling (b. 1930), Arne Jacobsen’s
the playhouse Bellevue Teatret (1935-36), Jacobsen’s style and method as an archi- two closest colleagues, took over and contin-
Aarhus City Hall (1938-41), Søllerød Town tect and designer were influential interna- ued the project. Arne Jacobsen’s design office
Hall (1942) and St. Catherine’s College, Oxford tionally and continue to this day to inspire was renamed DISSING+WEITLING. The Dan-
(1964). In addition, his design objects include up-and-coming architects. marks Nationalbank building is considered

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DE N M A R K

A versatile, pearwood-veneered storage and partitioning unit serving both the corridor side and office side with combinations of coat-rack, cabinet,
drawer and shelving modules

Arne Jacobsen’s crowning architectural glass innermost with frosting to parapet scheme dominated by shades of grey, and
achievement not only in its form and function, level. Transparent window blinds between contrasted with the red tiles of the stock
but also in his detailed plans for how the build- the inner and outer glazing units trap exchange building and the painted facade
ing was to be operated; all of which were faith- non-absorbed solar heat; this was a highly of Holmen’s Church. Inside the building,
fully executed by the firm DISSING+WEITLING. innovative feature in the early 1970s. the same consistent use of materials adds
to the harmony of the building. The linole-
Straight lines through Unique attention to detail and materials um floors and walls of the staircases and
fundamental principles The special dictates of the architectural lifts likewise testify to Jacobsen’s ability
The Danmarks Nationalbank building is con- design for streamlining and minimal build- to apply a colour scheme, which includes
structed from 420 x 420 cm units forming the ing maintenance are reflected in the con- a muted yellow and a subdued turquoise
load-bearing structure. This design made it sistent use of materials and the clean lines that make the decor an experience in itself.
possible to add an extra storey while pre- of the building’s structure.
venting the building from towering above Arne Jacobsen’s buildings are charac- Architectural presence in the city
neighbouring blocks. terised by their exceptional level of detail. The Functionalist Danmarks National-
The modular structure pervades both For Jacobsen, continuity between the fin- bank building is centrally located in Copen-
the exterior and the interior of the build- er details and the overall impression was hagen, close to the 17th century stock
ing complex, and is characterised by multi- essential, and the Danmarks Nationalbank exchange building; the Neo-Baroque Chris-
ple types of façades: the open glass-faced building is permeated by this principle. tiansborg Palace, which is the seat of the
bays; and the closed marble fronts, which Interior furnishings such as the stackable Danish Parliament; the Supreme Court and
are divided up into rectangular forms; also Lily chair, the Banker’s Clock, and fittings the Prime Minister’s Office; the 350-year-
the pearwood-veneered, double-sided cab- such as the Vola tapware, all of which are old Holmen’s Church; financial institutions;
inets that separate the wide corridors from still in production today, were designed and the waterfront. Here, the central bank
the meeting rooms and offices, which are specifically for Danmarks Nationalbank. premises are at once both prominent and
located in the office corridors. Light grey Porsgrunn marble was used in keeping with the heritage buildings that
The building’s extensive glass façade consistently for the façades, the lobby floor surround them.
vary in appearance depending on the weath- and walls and the coffee tables in the office The bank complex comprises a low-rise
er and the time of the day, and they inte- corridors. Porsgrunn marble comes from and a mid-rise structure, surrounded by a
grate surrounding buildings such as Hol- Norway and was greatly favoured by Arne single-storey-high wall. The low-rise prem-
men’s Church and the classical columns of Jacobsen. With its finely detailed structure ises with the paved, public garden in front
Erichsen’s mansion by reflecting them. The of coral patterns and fossils, the dynamic provide a softening distance to Holmen’s
glass bays are based on the curtain wall prin- surface of this marble harmonises exqui- Church by taking its proportions into con-
ciple, whereby the façade is mounted on the sitely with the surrounding architecture. sideration. The mid-rise part of the build-
building without being part of the load-bear- As a talented artist, Arne Jacob- ing, facing a busy street, respects the gener-
ing structure. The curtain walls feature tri- sen had a unique sense of colour, as evi- al height of the district and ensures that the
ple-glazed infills consisting of insulat- denced by the façades and interiors that bank building harmonises with the adja-
ing plate glass, sheet glass, and hardened complement the surroundings in a colour cent 19th century houses.

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 D EN MARK

‘Arne Jacobsen’s Garden’ is designed by Jacobsen personally. It is inspired by fragments of colums and by his own private garden

Building layout and spatial qualities customers, the banking hall is now used as a of rectangular and quarter-circle tables in
From the bank’s modest main entrance, a library and lecture theatre. the ‘R-Hall’ makes this a versatile venue
square ‘hole’ in the façade, the visitor enters a The daylight filters through a nar- for hosting board-of-directors meetings or
wedge-shaped and cathedral-like lobby with row window band placed by the ceiling and press conferences for example. In the can-
almost 20 metres to the ceiling, from which through glass display units, the upper sec- teen, employees meet up for lunch or a
daylight enters through tall, narrow windows tions of which connect with the courtyard brief in-house meeting, while enjoying the
between the façade pillars. The design of the beyond. Similar inset display units are found wide-angled view of the waterfront, heritage
lobby is inspired by the former bank building around the premises and contain exotic buildings and the dynamic urban scene.
from 1870 and by the grand entrance halls of hanging plants that were carefully chosen Down the long corridors, the pear-
other central banks. when the building was designed. wood-veneered, double-sided cabinets var-
The lobby widens out from 4 metres at The dark colouring of the wooden walls iously contain wardrobes, drawers and
the entrance to 14 metres at the opposite end and flooring, the exotic plants and low day- closed bookcases made of maple. Person-
where a sculptural steel staircase, suspended lighting provide a quite different atmosphere al belongings and supplies are stored out of
from red steel wires, provides access to the to the bright meeting rooms and offices with sight behind a plain wooden surface, and the
six floors of the building. their large windows, such as the ‘R-Hall’, clean lines of the storage units and other fur-
A low-ceilinged passageway leads to the which is used for representational purposes. niture ensure that the corridors and offices
banking hall, a 1,000 m2 low-lit interior with The ‘R-Hall’ is a 140 m2 meeting room remain elegantly streamlined and function-
walls clad in knotless Central European pear- with a high ceiling that, like the newly refur- al. Mobile grey partition walls enhance the
wood, and with West African Doussie-wood bished staff canteen, offers a panoram- flexibility of the office spaces.
flooring. Both materials are used consistently ic view of Holmen’s Church and the for- Until recently, a large printing hall
throughout much of the bank’s interior. Orig- mer stock exchange building. These are was in use. With its length and breadth of
inally an open-plan office with counters and the only two interiors that depart from the 25x25 metres and a floor-to-ceiling height
desks where staff kept accounts and served modular principle. A flexible arrangement of 8 metres, this is the largest room in the

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DE N M A R K

Two types of façades: The open glass-faced bays and the closed marble fronts, divided up into rectangular forms

building, and in reality extends upwards by The primary function of the courtyards formations of circular skylights and planters
three floors. Although equipped with the is to provide the offices with daylight and a containing creepers and taller specimens.
necessary machines, instruments and tools view of the outdoors. The northern court- Outside the lower wall of the bank, encir-
for producing banknotes, the interior is ele- yard is just over 700 m2 in size and features cling the roof garden at street level, an extend-
gant in its design, with a distinctive Arne semi-cylindrical concrete drums as plant ed public pavement zone serves as a visual
Jacobsen touch. beds and four ornamental pools. It is known link between the bank and Holmen’s Church.
Each room and corridor in the build- as ‘Arne Jacobsen’s Garden’ because he The granite plinth from the former bank build-
ing has its own distinctive features, which designed it personally, inspired in part by ing has been cut into kerbstones and reused,
complement the overall design. The interior his own private garden and by fragments of just as two former column capitals are incor-
abounds in refined features, testifying to the classical columns. porated in the paved garden. Just by a pool,
architect’s assiduous attention to detail. The southern 500 m2 courtyard covers the a long granite wall winds its way around tall-
roof of the banking hall with transverse waves, er plants and trees to evoke ‘the snake in the
Gardens and courtyards for reflection formed by stone. Laid out as a rock garden tunnel’, the name given to the first attempt at
The building has two courtyards, a roof garden with a minimum of soil beneath the plants, this European monetary cooperation in the 1980s.
and a paved garden facing Holmen’s Church. courtyard contains five reflecting water pools This flowing garden layout offers passers-by a
These outdoor areas share common with water lilies and goldfish. tranquil sight and place to stop on an other-
design themes with landscaping elements The largest garden in the complex is on wise busy urban street.
consisting of natural stone, water and green- the almost 5,000-m2 trapezoidal roof covering
ery. The variety of dramatic and restrained lay- the lower part of the building. This ornamen- A heritage building
outs reflects Arne Jacobsen’s keen interest in tal garden is visible from all four office floors. In 2009, what is now the Danish Agency for
gardens and greenery such as succulents and The pale stones covering the roof garden Culture decided to list the Danmarks Nation-
leafy plants. and the mesh of the aluminium railings hold albank building on the recommendation of

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Corridor outside the governor’s office. Walls clad in knotless Central European pearwood and floors in West African Doussie-wood – both of which materials
are used consistently throughout much of the bank’s interior

the Historic Buildings Council. At that time, Bibliography & sources In 2013, solar panels were installed on
it was the youngest listed building in Den- Thau, Carsten & Kjeld Vindum. the roof of the building. They are arranged
mark. The listing was based on the archi- ‘Arne Jacobsen’, Arkitektens Forlag, 2001 horizontally so that they are not visible
tectural and heritage merits of the building, from the street and do not detract from
including its architectural landmark value for ‘Danmarks Nationalbank’s Building’, the façades of the building. The solar pan-
the city, its layout and materials, its gardens Danmarks Nationalbank, 2016 els generate approx. 100,000 kWh a year.
and courtyards and fine detailing. The listing
entails that the bank must apply for permis- About the building visit:
sion to perform any construction work other www.nationalbanken.dk/en Author profile
than maintenance, in order to preserve the
building and its interior as a tribute to the About Arne Jacobsen visit:
vision of its architect. www.fritzhansen.com Pia Jønsson (b. 1958) holds an MA in Liter-
ature and Film & Media from the University
Public access All photos by Danmarks Nationalbank of Copenhagen. She runs the agency META-
The lobby of Danmarks Nationalbank is FOR, www.metafor.dk, and works in the field
open to the public on weekdays from 9:00 Facts at a glance of strategic cross media communication,
am to 4:00 pm and contains an exhibition of The Danish central bank building, Dan- texts, concept development, and visual aes-
old and current Danish and Faroese bank- marks Nationalbank, covers an area of thetics. Pia Jønsson is the author of 3 books,
notes and coins. 48,000 m2. At the time of construction, the jurywoman at the Danish Book Craft Society,
For security reasons, no guided tours price per square metre was DKK 6,500, and and committee member at the Danish-Japa-
are offered, and photography is strictly pro- the building cost a total of DKK 370 million. nese Society.
hibited inside the building.

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F RAN C E

The architecture of savings - The French

saving banks at the heart of urban history
Laure de Llamby

W
ith a few exceptions, the French
Savings Banks, founded in
France in the first half of the
19th century, originally took up residence in
cramped and unfurnished premises on loan
from city councils. As their offices were open
on Sundays only, they often had to share the
small room provided to them with a munici-
pal service that required the space during the
week. As their activity expanded, they were
forced to move into larger and larger prem-
ises, also on loan from the city councils. The
architectural heritage of the Saving Banks
still bears traces of these accommodations
in a sometimes remarkable municipal prop-
erty portfolio; a number of these offices were
still in use by smaller banks when the Caisses
d’Epargne began to consolidate in the 1980s.
After several successive moves, the
majority of the Saving Banks gradual-
ly decided to acquire their own premises.
For example, in 1842 the Caisse d’Epargne Hôtel Thoynard in Paris, headquarters of Caisse d’Epargne Ile de France. Copyright FNCE. G Millo.
of Paris bought Hôtel Thoynard, a building The Saving Bank buildings occupy a special place in urban history. As evidence of this, many of them
constructed in the 18th century, and which have been made the subject of a postcard. Copyright FNCE
it still owns today. Other Saving Banks lat-
er followed suit and acquired historic build-
ings to house their services. The Bourges
office established its premises in a house
built between 1513 and 1515, known as Mai-
son Pelvoysin. This building still houses the
branch today.
These examples, however, are few and
far between; the vast majority of the Sav-
ing Banks chose to undertake the construc-
tion of their own building. From the late
19th to the early 20th century, they carried
out a widespread building programme that
helped to solidify their image among the
inhabitants of each region in a lasting man- The Saving Bank buildings occupy a special place in
ner that is still effective today. urban history. As evidence of this, many of them have
The construction of these buildings been made the subject of a postcard. Copyright FNCE
reflects the importance and success of the
Saving Banks. But they also demonstrate,
above all, their desire to promote, through
architecture, the values that underlie the
savings entrusted to them. In this way, an

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 FRAN C E

Launched in Paris by Charles Garnier in 1878 with the construction of the Cercle
de la Librairie on Boulevard Saint Germain, the rotunda became a widespread
architectural trend at the end of the 19th century. It inspired many architects who
designed rotundas for the Caisse d’Epargne buildings, as shown here: the former
Saving Bank branches in Langres, and Aubusson. Copyright FNCE. G Millo

architectural style specific to the French What distinguishes the Saving Bank
Saving Banks was forged. buildings from other public buildings of
The building programme was undertak- the period are the ornaments and sculp-
en in the context of the Haussmannisation tures that decorate their pediments and
of French cities. The buildings borrowed ele- façades. The motifs on display serve to pro-
ments from models of public edifices – nota- mote popular savings while celebrating
bly town halls – and banking establishments temperance and forethought. They depict
that were constructed in the same period to a number of allegories relating to thrift in
project an image of security and respectabili- the manner of antiquities or cornucopi-
ty. The choice of their location contributed to as. The façade decorations are sometimes
their status as true urban monuments. Often the work of renowned artists and win-
isolated in a public square or, barring that, at ners of the Grand Prix de Rome, as in Mar-
the corner of a street, these buildings are highly seille, for example. Allegorical sculptures,
visible to inhabitants. In addition, many of the paintings, mosaic flooring, and stained-
Caisse d’Epargne buildings are adorned with glass windows also decorate the interiors of
domes, rotundas, and bell towers, which fur- many buildings, celebrating the virtues of
ther emphasises their importance. economy, work, and temperance. Follow-
These buildings are examples of Eclecti- ing the example of public authorities who
cism, an architectural trend of the period, which commissioned wall paintings for the interi-
consists of incorporating a mixture of elements ors of prefectures, libraries, and town halls,
from various styles in art history (Neo-Renais- the Caisses d’Epargne sometimes commis-
sance, Neoclassical, or even Neo-Moorish). The sioned paintings to decorate their Board of
Neo-Louis XVI style was widely used, with col- Directors meeting rooms. This was the case Detail of the pediment of the Building of the
onnades often decorating building façades. in Troyes, Marseille, and Le Puy, where a Caisse d’Epargne Provence Alpes Corse
A number of buildings were designed in the large composition by Assezat de Bouteyre
Neo-Gothic vein, while other rarer examples represents “The family placing the fruit of
were influenced by Art Nouveau. its work in savings”.

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F RAN C E

Panels of the wall fresco decorating the Board room in

Troyes, painted by William Laparra (1873-1920), in which the
artist glorifies the benefits of thrift for all, starting from the
youngest age.Copyright FNCE- G. Millo A

Minerva or wisdom protecting the savings chest” (1903). Images A&B - A marriage of past and present: Caisse d’Epargne Loire Drôme Ardèche
Marble detail by André Allar (1845-1926) located in the foyer of chose to integrate the contemporary activities of the Montbrison branch with the
the Caisse d’Epargne building in Marseille, depicting the goddess setting of its original historic building. The late-19th century wall ornamentations
of wisdom protecting a savings chest. Copyright FNCE. G Millo recall the date of the founding of the Caisse d’Epargne in Montbrison, while
automated banking services are carried out nearby. This integration of past and
present also guided Caisse d’Epargne d’Auvergne et du Limousin in its restoration of
the Hôtel de Moulins, whose antique coffered ceiling blends harmoniously with the
contemporary design of the foyer. Copyright FNCE. G Millo

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 FRAN C E

Images A&B - The symbols of the Caisse d’Epargne can often be found inscribed on the In Arras, the former Caisse d’Epargne building houses private
pediments of the Saving Bank buildings, as in Montpellier and Provins. The bee and dwellings. One look, however, is enough to perceive the historic
its hive also reflect the identity of their original owner, as in Toulon and Saint-Jean- nature of the building. The entry gates, decorated with medallions
d’Angely. Copyright FNCE. G Millo engraved with the squirrel symbol, and the pediment still reflect the
building’s history. Copyright FNCE. V. Ferlicoq

A number of these historic buildings, and its hive, and later, the squirrel (the a centre of development for cutting-edge
ill-adapted to the daily activities of the con- symbol of the French Saving Banks) were companies and high-tech projects. In Metz,
temporary bank, were sold by the Caiss- also frequently engraved on the pediments it was in the Amphitheatre district, at the
es d’Epargne and found new uses. Others, of these buildings. heart of a new city centre -- a symbol of
such as those in Toulouse and Marseille, Today, the new headquarters of the modernity and urban renewal -- that Caisse
have benefited from an exemplary reha- French Saving Banks reflect the banks’ d’Epargne Lorraine Champagne-Ardenne
bilitation. Behind the façades, restored to modernisation, their influence as large established its offices at the end of 2013. Its
their original state, are modernised interi- regional banks, and their reach throughout new headquarters is housed in “La Halle”,
ors meeting the latest environmental and the territories. The environment, human- a building designed by the architect Nico-
technological standards. A number of the ity and quality of life are at the heart of las Michelin, whose innovative infrastruc-
buildings still house branches. the banks’ new projects, many of which tures are designed to meet contemporary
Whether or not they remain the prop- have traded city centres for new business challenges, particularly those facing digital
erty of the Caisses d’Epargne, many of parks where the major figures of region- enterprises.
these historic buildings conserve the sig- al economic activity are concentrated. The Then, as now, the French Saving Banks
nature of their original owner. Their ped- Caisse d’Epargne of Auvergne-Limousin have favoured locations that place them at
iments bear the inscription “Caisse chose in 2006 to establish its offices in the the heart of local activity and underscore
d’Epargne” engraved in the stone. The bee ESTER Technopole, which has emerged as their role as key players in these territories.

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F RAN C E

Societe Generale: architecture and finance

at the time of the Belle Époque
Farid Ameur

F
ounded in 1864, Societe Gener-
ale has always sought to demon-
strate its solidity, and to attract and
satisfy its clients. This approach was also
required due to the high level of competi-
tion amongst banks. It ultimately resulted in
the bank choosing an architectural expres-
sion of its ambition based on modernity
and innovation.

At the heart of the city

Societe Generale’s emergence cannot be
separated from that of its real estate hold-
ings. It began with a search for respectabili-
ty. Then, at the start of the 20th century, the
bank took on a monumental shape to signify
a reassuring form of power. Rue de Provence in 1910. On the right side: the Societe Generale headquarters’ entry.
At the turn of the 20th century, network © Archives historiques Société Générale
branches – with few exceptions – had a num-
ber of features in common, the first of which
was their location within the urban grid.
Societe Generale wanted to mark its pres-
ence and be easily identifiable within busy
commercial areas, and to have a recogniz-
able and unique style. Just like its competi-
tors, the bank picked locations for its offices
in the downtown areas, and whenever pos-
sible, in corner buildings on squares, ave-
nues, and boulevards, where the main busi-
ness activity was taking place. While elegant
stone buildings were the norm, the bank
added its own touch, placing its name on
the front or the windows in block or gold let-
ters along with the company’s capitalisation
figures, which needed ongoing adjustment.
Marble signs were affixed on each side of the
entrance, announcing the services offered Art Nouveau in Toulouse, 1912. © Archives historiques Société Générale
by the establishment. Cast-iron columns
allowed for large windows on the ground
floor that let daylight flood in. The façades available to customers. In some branches, communications and information hub for
were in painted wood with two-metre-high grooms were present to welcome visitors, the headquarters and the branches. It was
windows, also allowing natural light to enter among other duties. where stock market updates with the lat-
while remaining too high for any passers-by Before reaching the main floor, custom- est dispatches, daily newspapers and com-
to see in. Posters with the “SG” letters inter- ers passed through the first open space from mentaries written in chalk on blackboards
twined listed the various investment offers the street: the dispatch hall. This was the could be found. The interior architecture

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 FRAN C E

The Bourse “A” branch in Paris, 1906. A branch in Paris, rue de Lyon, in the Bastille district, around 1912.
© Archives historiques Société Générale © Archives historiques Société Générale

Art Nouveau in Chalon-sur-Saône, 1924. © Archives historiques Société Générale Art Nouveau in Chalon-sur-Saône, 1912.
© Archives historiques Société Générale

conveyed the bank’s image as a permanent, and building materials were used with a by architect Jacques Hermant. The majestic
solid and active institution. A long counter in mixture of iron, glass and cement to cre- and imposing structure stood out because
polished mahogany paneling separated the ate an enclosed space crowned by glass of its monumental quality. It had identical
employees from the hall where the custom- panes, offering overhead lighting and a motifs on either street, connected by a tower
ers would congregate near the windows. new aesthetic. on the corner that gave it its central theme.
This allowed each client to speak privately At the same time Societe Generale was It was topped by a domed roof and a lan-
with his bank contact and sometimes sit on also occupying buildings whose architec- tern. Each wing had five floors and a balcony
the high stools. It was a place to exchange ture was not in classical bank style. In some with a loggia. The tower had six floors, with
information, separate from the employees cases, such as in Alsace and Brittany, region- a clock located in the central portion and a
making entries in the books. The rest of the al architectural styles were used. In Paris, molding in the shape of a semicircular ped-
décor was understated: sculpted wood, gas branches “A” and “U” - which stood for the iment. With a façade of rusticated stones to
lamps and a clock comprised the main dec- Bourse and Croix-Rouge - were “banking pal- provide more depth, the building exuded
orations. In spite of this apparent simplic- aces” at a time when the bank was trying to respectability, power and modernity.
ity the bank did not hesitate – for example enrich its brand image. Located in Paris at The U branch, located at 131 rue de
in Bordeaux, Angers and Dijon - to use new 134 rue Réaumur in the 2nd arrondissement, Sèvres in the 7th arrondissement, was a met-
technical and architectural innovations that at the corner of Notre-Dame-des-Victoires, al frame building with balconies, a pavilion
were the result of industrial changes. At the the “A” branch was close to the Palais Brong- roof and bas-relief sculptures. The façade
close of the 19th century, new techniques niart. Construction was completed in 1901 was very beautiful and the interior just as

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F RAN C E

The Bordeaux branch in 1924. © Archives historiques Société Générale Art Nouveau in Nancy, 1906.
© Archives historiques Société Générale

stunning. Above the entrance doors, archi- bought an old municipal building called commitment to lighting using glass windows.
tect Georges Balleyguier, who supervised the “Conciergerie,” where city magistrates The branches at Toulouse, Bressuire and
the construction, had created a rich mosa- would meet at the end of the 17th century. Chalon-sur-Saône were in this style. The lat-
ic décor. The decorative motif in gold letters Other buildings acquired showcased nation- ter location had internal floral arrangements
spelled out the bank’s name within mixed al landmarks. At Aix-en-Provence, the Hôtel for the columns and linear woodwork with
trophies and plant-related moldings. The Mirabeau, whose staircase was a model of stained glass windows. External decoration
caduceus, a symbol of Hermès and Mercu- pure Louis XIV style, was also a branch. The was almost exuberant, as illustrated by the
ry, the Greek and Roman gods of commerce, same style characterised the Hôtel Terrier frontage representing a ring of cherubs ser-
decorated the composition. The symbol de Santans in the centre of Besançon, whose enading the bank’s customers. It was in Lor-
was a baton with two entwined snakes with façade had a wrought iron balcony and Ion- raine that Art Nouveau found its best expres-
wings. The baton represented power, the ian pillars decorated by a coat of arms. sion - at Rambervilliers, and even more at
snakes stood for wisdom, the wings dili- At Rennes, the Hôtel Le Gonidec de Trais- Nancy, where architect Georges Biet and
gence and movement. The caduceus was san was in the same rich style and in Sau- carpenter Eugène Vallin combined their tal-
mounted on a cogwheel representing indus- mur, imposing Atlantes sculptures framed ents to construct a building inspired by plant
try, with horns of plenty symbolizing wealth. the entrance and were just as impressive. motifs in 1903. The ribbed lines were part of
All these symbols referenced the bank’s In Reims, Societe Generale went even fur- both the structure and the décor. Strong ver-
main purpose. ther when it completed an unfinished work tical moldings were inspired by plant stems,
Societe Generale could be found in the of art. In 1910, it built a branch on the place creating a dynamic and original effect that
most unexpected locations. As it was devel- Royale, following the blueprints, decorative enhanced the use of certain basic materials
oping its real estate holdings, the bank elements and materials decided upon by such as iron in the decoration. The building
sometimes opened offices in historically architect Jean-Gabriel Legendre in 1755 - an was made up of four beams on five levels,
important buildings. These could be town initiative that was welcomed by the entire with a metallic front crowning the façade.
houses or very simple storefronts. For exam- city. We should note that today the bank no The central hall was lit via a glass dome held
ple, at Pézenas it took over the Hôtel de longer uses these locations, some of which up by metal support brackets. The carpentry
Lacoste, famous for its spiral staircase and have been declared national monuments, was of remarkable quality, both at the teller
Gothic style vaulted ceilings. In Castres, it or have been partially restored and may windows in exotic wood with molded pane-
was the Hôtel de Nayrac, a renaissance pal- only be visited by tourists. ling and in the sculpted bronze columns that
ace with a portico decorated with family At the start of the 20th century, Societe were used as windows separating the vari-
crests, mullioned windows and round tow- Generale established links with Art Nouveau ous counters. But that style became obso-
ers that was selected to become a branch. and built several buildings that were part of lete and Art Nouveau would not survive the
At Saint-Just-Saint-Rambert, the building that art movement. This highly ornamental First World War. It was replaced by Art Deco,
opened onto a grain market dating back to style had a flexible architecture with many whose neoclassical style was better suited to
the Middle Ages. At Saint-Omer, the bank floral decorative motifs, and a permanent banking institutions.

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Exterior view of the 29 boulevard Haussmann, in Paris. Interior view of the 29 boulevard Haussmann,
© Jean-Marie Cras / Archives historiques Société Générale in Paris. © Jean-Marie Cras / Archives historiques
Société Générale

The Central Branch: a “banking palace” of Comblanchien stone. In the Boulevard charm of the building. The four arcatures
of the Belle Époque Haussmann, by virtue of special dispensa- each bear a coat of arms in the centre, rep-
At No. 29 Boulevard Haussmann, right in the tion, the centre line has been redesigned resenting the Societe Generale in Paris, Lyon,
centre of Paris, the building can be found, across its length in such a way as to cre- Marseille and Bordeaux. Bronze medal-
which has served as the Group’s headquar- ate a pattern above the entrance of num- lions decorate their bases, and symbol-
ters for the past century. It is a true archi- ber 29. Its upper part is a pediment dec- ise the bank’s activities throughout France.
tectural masterpiece, certain parts of orated with allegoric sculptures. On the The corners are embellished with the mon-
which are now featured in the list of French third floor, against the pillars and between ogram “SG”. Decorative ironwork is made
Historic Monuments. the balconies, six Corinthian style statues up of oak leaves and acorns and the whole
At the beginning of the 20th were installed in 1919 to illustrate various is enclosed by a wrought iron railing. The
Century, Societe Generale made the deci- aspects of commerce and industry. Three mosaic tiled floor is the work of cerami-
sion to acquire new headquarters. Too over- large bays made up the entrance. Their cists, Alphonse Gentil and François-Eugène
crowded in its original offices located at vaults are adorned with carved grotesques. Bourdet. Around the hall’s rotunda, a plant
54-56 rue de Provence, the bank became Open on all sides, the grand central hall pattern of interwoven and knotted leaves
interested in a nearby block of buildings is of a luxurious, innovative design. The trap- forms an enormous rosette. On the floor,
located behind the Opera in Boulevard ezoidal room occupies most of the ground twelve ornamentally embossed openwork
Haussmann. Competing with Galeries Lafay- floor, with a great circular counter in the copper plaques conceal the heating and
ette, the bank officially acquired it on 2 April centre, nicknamed “the cheese”. In 1919, ventilation ducts.
1906. The Board of Directors decided to a mezzanine was built to make extra space The basement contains the strong
engage the services of the architect Jacques for the staff. The centrepiece of the hall is rooms, all in steel. These are laid out on four
Hermant, a teacher at the Beaux-arts de Par- the splendid pinnacled dome which over- levels, the lowest being 11 metres below the
is, to transform these apartment buildings, hangs it. It is suspended 23 metres above the ground. An impressive circular door, clad in
which occupied 2,600 square metres, into a ground from the roof with a metal, umbrel- shiny steel with gold and silver highlights
banking establishment. la-like structure composed of a self-sup- guards the only entrance. Designed by lock-
The works lasted six years. On 26 June porting system of fine steel profiles. Glass smiths Fichet, the piece was constructed in
1912, the new headquarters was opened at and metal blend harmoniously to form an the Creusot (iron working centre of France),
29 Boulevard Haussmann, in the presence enclosed space while preserving the over- transported by rail to Paris and then brought
of Baron Hély d’Oissel, President of Soci- head illumination. The 18 metre diame- to the Boulevard Haussmann on a dray
ete Generale. The result exceeded all expec- ter dome, designed by master glass crafts- pulled by a team of nine horses. The diam-
tations. On the exterior façade, the ground man, Jacques Galand, displays an elegant eter of the exterior door is 2.76 metres. It
floor and mezzanine are finished in hori- gradation of colours. It is made up of 51 weighs 18 tonnes, and its armour plating is
zontally rusticated masonry, punctuat- tapered parts arranged from a central rose. 40 centimetres thick. An access drum con-
ed by arched bays with grilles over a plinth The interior decor contributes to the nects it to a second reinforced door. Inside

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F RAN C E

Door of the vault room. © Jean-Marie Cras / Archives historiques Société Générale Dome of the building. © Jean-Marie Cras / Archives
historiques Société Générale

the rooms there are 399 strong rooms,

accounting for a total of 8,134 safety depos-
it boxes and 22 safes. These basement rooms
are only opened progressively for clients.
Today the Central Branch still retains
its original character, to the great pleasure
of clients and employees alike. It is open to
the public for French Heritage Days every
year on September. Since 1915, this build-
ing has housed the headquarters of the bank
and, in spite of the management board hav-
ing moved to the business centre in Paris-La
Défense, it remains so.

The Trocadéro complex: Societe Generale

builds its own “Fort Knox”
The major construction work undertaken by A groom near the door of the vault room, 1920. © Archives historiques Société Générale
Societe Generale during the golden years of
France’s “Belle Époque” was prompted by
new requirements for greater security. Com- risk of theft, assault and fire”. The clear need demolished the existing buildings. Complet-
pleted in 1914, the Trocadéro complex that to reassure customers called for tangible ini- ed in 1914 after three years of work, the new
housed the bank’s central securities depos- tiatives to convey the image of a solid and Haussmann-style complex was designed
it is one of the most impressive examples of steadfast establishment. As a result, along- by architect, Jacques Hermant, who had
the work carried out. It is an ambitious mon- side the construction of its new head office already worked on the bank’s Agence Cen-
ument to maximum security. at 29 Boulevard Haussmann, the bank’s trale and Agence Bourse offices. Sober and
On the eve of the First World War, management decided to build a new site to modern in appearance in keeping with its
banks in France were faced with new secu- house the securities “deposited and trans- surroundings, the complex formed a triangle
rity requirements. The Great Flood of 1910 in iting” with the bank in the 16th arrondisse- in a district in full boom. Each of the build-
Paris and its surrounding areas had exposed ment, not far from the Eiffel Tower. ings making up the three sides of the com-
the precarious structure of certain build- Nestled on the Chaillot Hill, the chosen plex had its own basement, raised ground
ings, and a spate of daring armed robber- site, located between the Place du Trocadéro, floor and another six floors, two of which
ies, notably by the Bonnot Gang, dominat- Avenue Kléber, the Rue de Longchamp and were dominated by long, recessed terrac-
ed the headlines. At Societe Generale, the Avenue Malakoff, (now the Avenue Raymond es. Although the main entrance was located
inspection committees were quick to rec- Poincaré) was formerly home to the stables at 112 Avenue Kléber, the inside of the com-
ommend the implementation of the “most of the Compagnie générale des Omnibus. In plex was divided into two separate sections,
effective and modern measures against the 1911, the bank acquired the property and one consisting of offices and the other of

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Plan of the construction, 1910.

© Archives historiques Société Générale

The Trocadéro tower under construction, in 1912. Inside the fortified Trocadéro tower in Paris, 1957. © Archives historiques Société Générale
© Archives historiques Société Générale

private apartments. The complex had a cov- to form an additional natural barrier render- withstanding an atomic bomb. In 1976, it was
ered courtyard, a loading bay for armoured ing it impenetrable. At the end of each day, fitted with a radar surveillance system. In the
vans and two strong towers: one that was after the last employees in charge of closing underground floors, sound detectors were
square and average in size and which was the site had left, the underground passage followed by surveillance cameras and soon
home to “transiting” securities for transac- they used was filled with 40 cubic metres of completed with motion sensors, heat-sensi-
tions in progress; and another that was cylin- water, making it impossible to pass and also tive instruments and nerve gas spray systems.
drical and which was reserved for deposit- impervious to fire. In addition, the top of the With the dematerialization of securi-
ed securities and, later on, used to store all tower was closed by a concrete domed cov- ties, the reconversion of the Trocadéro Tow-
manner of valuables, objects, works of art, er. The ceiling was fitted with large observa- er to house works of art and the IT records
documents, etc. tion panes made of reinforced glass, which, for Sogégarde customer service would have
As time went by, this somewhat unusu- each night, were covered by slabs of thick been extremely costly given the operational
al construction, which was first known as the reinforced concrete which together weighed constraints of the site. The building was thus
“Trocadéro Tower” and then “Sogégarde”, over 500 tonnes. The basement was divid- sold and entirely redeveloped as part of a real
proved to be the ultimate vault and was Soci- ed into several reinforced vaults: seven lev- estate programme in 1987.
ete Generale’s own “dungeon”. Unique in its els housed ten peripheral chambers built
genre, with an outside diameter that was 50 against the wall where the safes were locat-
metres long and 34 metres high, it was made ed. The only access to the tower from the out- Author profile
up of two circular walls in reinforced concrete side was via a single opening on the ground
and built on a composite floor with a lime- floor. Controlled from the inside only, it was
stone base. 15 metres below ground, a circu- protected by concrete slabs reinforced with Farid Ameur, historian at Societe Generale,
lar masonry wall mirrored by a parapet dug a thick steel frame, a strong armour-plat- holds a doctorate from the University of Par-
into the rock face was built around the perim- ed door and a heavy wrought-iron gate. For is 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne. He is an associate
eter to reinforce the structure and to isolate decades, the tower remained an untouched researcher at UMR SIRICE (Sorbonne-Iden-
the basement from the former surrounding sanctuary, which was regularly adapted to tities, International relations, and Civilisa-
quarries. Any efforts to undermine the con- the latest surveillance techniques. Many tions of Europe) and specialises in contem-
struction were to prove impossible, particu- referred to it as the bank’s own “Fort Knox” or porary history.
larly as the peripheral section was flooded one of the rare buildings in Europe capable of

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GREE C E

The architecture of The National Bank

of Greece buildings since 1845
Dionysis Vlachopoulos

F
ollowing the London Conference of
1932 that resulted in the establish-
ment of the modern Greek state, the
relocation of the capital from Nafplio to Ath-
ens and the need to create appropriate infra-
structures for the better workings of the state,
the establishment of a bank became essen-
tial. The tireless efforts of Georgios Stavros,
financial advisor of the first governor of the
state, Ioannis Capodistrias, and the full sup-
port and guidance of the great European phil-
hellene banker Jean-Gabriel Eynard led to
the establishment of National Bank of Greece
(“NBG”) in 1841, by decree of King Otto, grant-
ing the Bank the right to print banknotes.
From that time onward, the development of
NBG was closely entwined with the economic
history of the Greek state, as it was to active-
ly participate in the financing of many sectors The area that later became Plateia (=Square) Loudovikou (today Plateia Kotzia). The painting is
of the economy. of great historical importance. On the left is the house of Domnados and on its right the “Hotel of
During the 175 years of its operations, England”, owned by Feraldis. In the background Lycabettus Hill can be seen. Oil painting by Johannes
Rabe (1847), discovered in Munich. NBG Art Collection
NBG, through its constructed buildings, con-
tributed in shaping the profile of modern
Greek architecture, and especially the architec- the two-storey residence of Kyriakos Domna-
ture of public buildings. The buildings bought dos, professor of natural history at Athens Uni-
were amongst the most notable of their times, versity. The Domnados residence, built in 1837,
while the Bank always sought to be situated was a neoclassical building, in line with the sty-
at the heart of the economic life of the cities. listic preferences of that period. Neo-Classi-
Around its buildings other banks or agencies cism had become established in Europe as the
that undertook similar operations were estab- style that met the tastes of the bourgeoisie of
lished, thereby forming a financial hub. This the 19th century. The work of the English archi-
article describes the key phases in the develop- tect, Sir John Soane, who designed the Bank of
ment of NBG’s buildings – each phase display- England (1798), was seminal in this develop-
ing its own distinguishing features – influenced ment, as he was a pioneer in the application of
by the stylistic trends in Europe, the econom- neoclassical elements on a bank building.
ic programmes for the economic development It was decided that the Bank should
of the country, and the aesthetic preferences of be located in the large Square of the People
the leading architects of the day. (“Plateia tou Laou”) as conceived in the first
city plan of Athens by Schaubert and Kleanthis,
The key architectural periods for so that the Bank would be situated close to the
NGB’s buildings royal place and the newly developing commer-
cial district of the city. This decision was, from
1845-1901 the outset, a very successful one. Gradually, Georgios Stavros, founder and first governor of
In 1845, for the first time, the Bank acquired its the NBG became a hub of development in the NBG (1788-1869). Painted by Nikiforos Lytras,
own building in Athens, with the purchase of city’s commercial centre, centred around most oil on canvas. NBG Art Collection

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 G REECE

Drawing showing the consecutive purchases (from 1837 to 1965) of properties owned by NBG on the city Coloured postcard depicting Plateia Loudovikou
block where its central branch is located in Athens. D. Vlachopoulos Archive in the early 20th century. On the left is the
central branch of NBG after the unification of
the Domnados and Feraldis buildings by Eugène
Troump. In the centre the Melas Building,
leased today by the NBG, and on the right the
old National Theater, demolished in 1939. Both
buildings were designed by Ernst Ziller.
Archive of Hellenic Literary and Historical Archive
- NBG Cultural Foundation

nical service department (where he remained

until 1920).
The unification of the two NBG build-
ings was the most important architectural
project implemented in Athens together with
the reconstruction of the Panathenaic Sta-
dium in 1896, for the first Olympic Games. In
The façade of the bank’s headquarters on odos (street) Eolou as it looked after completion of the addition, the Bank developed its branch net-
unification works. NBG Historical Archive work outside Athens in the key urban centres
of the time, including Patras, Hermoupolis
of the economic functions of the newly estab- that at the end of 1875 it was possible to easily (Syros island), Tripoli and Kalamata, with ele-
lished state. The gradual expansion, at this time, join the two with the construction of a covered gant neoclassical buildings either purchased
of the Bank’s property over the entire city block bridge with glass. This lasted until 1898, when or built on the basis of plans by external archi-
reflected the need to meet the ever-increasing it was decided that a major renovation of the tect associates of the Bank.
demands on space and the establishment of the two buildings should be undertaken so that
Stock Exchange on the same block. The model they would merge into a single building. 1901-1920
for this logic perhaps lays in the experience of During the next two years the head office The main architectural work of this period was
the development of the building complex of the was rebuilt, basically in line with the plans of the successive expansion of the central build-
Bank of England in the City of London, a similar the French architect, Eugène Troump. A new ing complex. The unification of the two build-
enterprise that began almost 70 years earlier. wing, new English manufactured safe depos- ings in 1898-1900 was not sufficient to meet
Thus in 1852, with the purchase of the it boxes (from the London-based company the ever-increasing demands of the growing
garden of the Domnados residence, the Bank Chubbs and Son’s Lock and Safe Company business of the Bank, and so more extensions
secured its presence across the southern por- Ltd), spacious water cisterns, a water-pump for were deemed necessary. The architect and
tion of odos (street) Georgiou Stavrou as far as fire safety, a banknote and securities destruc- head of the Bank’s technical service depart-
odos Stadiou. In 1875, with the acquisition of the tion furnace, and an upper floor, which would ment, Aristides Balanos, used the architectural
“Hotel of England” and of the adjacent two-sto- serve as the governor’s and deputy gover- design of Troump for the additions, and main-
rey house, the Bank secured ownership of the nor’s residence were added. The interior walls tained the architectural style of the three-sto-
entire east side of Plateia Loudovikou (name of were lined with wood and marble, and dec- rey building located towards the end of
Plateia tou Laou after its size reduction, today orated and furnished with elegant and artis- odos G. Stavrou.
known as Plateia Kotzia). The Domnados res- tic features, while the French designer Pierre In 1902, the main customer hall on the
idence and the “Hotel of England”, two neo- Joly designed the administration rooms. The ground floor, where the general assemblies
classical buildings that were built with just two project was supervised by the civil engineer, were held, was renovated and decorated with
years’ difference between each other (1837 Nikolaos Balanos and his brother architect the unique painted copies of paintings by Peter
and 1839 respectively) looked like sibling build- Aristides Balanos, who was recruited by the von Hess and themes from the Greek War of
ings. This was particularly the case in the sense Bank as head of the newly established tech- Independence of 1821, painted by Nikolaos

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GREE C E

after the destruction of Thessaloniki from the

great fire of 1917, when the Byzantine style was
implemented in many of the new buildings of
the city. With a view to reconstructing Thessa-
loniki, the Prime Minister, Eleftherios Venizelos,
appointed a team of architects to work on the
project. Among the architects that participat-
ed were the French architect, Ernest Hébrard,
who was head of the Archaeological Service of
the allied Army of the East during World War
I, and the influential British architect, Thom-
as Mawson. The Greek architects that partici-
pated in the team were Aristotelis Zachos, an
ardent fan of Neo-Byzantinism in Greece, and
Constantine Kitsikis. During the interwar peri-
od the perceptions of the 19th century were
View of the NBG’s main branch in Thessaloniki, odos Mitropoleos. NBG Historical Archive still dominant in Greece, with eclecticism
and historicism being the prevailing practice
in architecture.
Ferekidis at the request of the Bank’s governor, by figures such as Louis H. Sullivan, and the As the years passed, new needs arose,
Stefanos Streit1. In 1912, the A. D. Zachariou Vienna School represented by figures such as and during the interwar period the NBG – hav-
Technical Company, representing the German Otto Wagner, Josef Hoffman, Joseph Maria ing lost its right to print banknotes after the
firms S. J. Arnheim and Panzer, was assigned Olbrich and Adolf Loos, as its main exponents, foundation of the central bank – became a
the construction of vaults in the headquar- as well as the ideas of Avant Garde architects purely commercial bank. The expansion of
ters. In 1911, the NBG implemented a man- in central Europe, such as Hermann Muthe- the branch network into new territories, which
agement strategy for the continuous expan- sius, had a formative impact on the interna- were annexed after the Balkan wars, as well
sion of the block of the main building. In this tional architectural community. Under the as the planned modernization of the branch-
vein, it purchased the open space of the adja- influence of Romanticism, efforts emerged to es throughout the country, impelled the Bank
cent property and, in 1916, two neighboring revive European art and architecture from per- to expand the technical service department.
houses. In 1920, the Bank acquired another spectives that went beyond the well-trodden The latter coordinated the entire project. The
two-storey property. historical architectural styles. Thus, around NBG’s technical service department included
During the period of Aristides Balanos 1900 the Art Nouveau movement reached its two prominent architects: Nikos Zouboulid-
the NBG built or bought fine neoclassical zenith, ranging from the arts and crafts move- is, one of the most important architects of the
buildings in the provincial capitals of Greece. ment that had already begun in Britain to interwar period, who was educated abroad
Notable examples are the Bank’s build- its architectural application in Belgium and and was a fervent proponent of Classicism;
ings in Volos, Patras and Kalamata. When France, and to Spain with the iconic works of and Aristomenis Valvis, younger in age and
in 1920 Balanos resigned from the techni- Gaudi, including his Sagrada Familia cathe- influenced by the European Avant Garde of the
cal service, he handed over supervision of dral in Barcelona (still not completed) and time. Supported by other architects and exter-
the department to a relatively young archi- the Casa Batlló. nal associates, they were able to carry out this
tect, aged 32, Nikolaos Zouboulidis, who was A group of Greek architects, who had major building programme.
originally from Sinassos in Asia Minor. studied in Germany and France, sought to con- During this period, the Bank, under the
vey these new ideas in Greece and to develop supervision of Zouboulidis, decided to design
1921-1940. The Interwar years a different vocabulary than the architecture of the central branch of Thessaloniki combining
The industrial revolution of the early and mid- classicism. Another group, represented by Aris- Classical and Neo-Byzantine styles. In 1928,
19th century and the social movements that totelis Zachos, Dimitris Pikionis, Panos Tzelep- the Merchant Seamen’s Fund in Piraeus and
followed in the early 20th century brought sig- is, Aris Konstantinidis and others, sought, the Athens Stock Exchange in odos Sofok-
nificant changes in the ideas of both what is through the study of Byzantine and vernacu- leous were built, employing Neo-Classical ele-
considered art and the means that can be used lar architecture, to give expression, morpho- ments.. On the other hand, the hall of the sav-
for its implementation. The influence on archi- logically, to the notion of “Greekness”. This was ings department in the Bank’s main branch
tecture was profound. By the end of the 19th a preoccupation of many Greek artists of the followed a neo-Byzantine style. In the regional
century the neoclassical movement had begun so-called ‘Generation of the 1930s’. The first towns, both the Neo-Classical and Neo-Byzan-
to fade and new architectural ideas gradually such attempts had begun in the mid-19th cen- tine styles jostled for prominence. Zouboulid-
supplanted it. The Chicago School represented tury, when, in 1852, Theophil Hansen designed, is and Valvis, together with the external asso-
in Byzantine style, the building of the Eye Clin- ciates, each of whom had his own aesthetic
1 The original paintings of Peter von Hess were destroyed dur- ic (Ofthalmiatreion) on odos Panepistimiou. preferences, served the different modes of
ing the Second World War, when the National Gallery of Munich
was bombed. The heyday of the movement in Greece came architectural expression with vigour, designing

42 bulletin | 2017
 G REEC E

buildings such as those in Serres, Drama, Xan-

thi and Corinth in Neo-Classical style, but also,
as in the case of Florina, Edessa (Vodena) and
Kozani in Neo-Byzantine style. Meanwhile, the
excavations of Evans at Knossos, Crete, from
1900 to 1931, the key centre of Minoan civiliza-
tion, impressed the antiquarian inclinations of
Zouboulidis immensely, who then designed in
Neo-Minoan style the Minoan Board Room at
the Bank’s headquarters; He also sought – sur-
passing the established standards of the time
– to create a building in an early Postmodern
style with his design for the Nafplio branch in
Neo-Mycenaean style.

1960-1970. The Modernist movement

Modernism as an architectural movement
emerged in the early 20th century, when in
1906 the Grand Duke of Saxony and Weimar The Minoan Board Room in the Bank’s headquarters, designed by architect N. Zoumboulidis.
commissioned the Dutch architect, Henry van NBG Historical Archive
de Velde, to head the Grand-Ducal School of
Arts and Crafts in Weimar. In 1919, Walter Gro- exclusively by private means. The lack of plan- neighbourhood and close to every home, thus
pius in his Manifesto called on all artists and ning and addressing of this development led covering 60 per cent of all banking operations
architects to work together in order to create to the demolition of 80 per cent of old build- in the country.
“the new building of the future” and to build ings, resulting in the contemporary land-
an industrial and artisanal construct along the scape of Athens and, thereafter, all the pro- 1970-1985. Critical localism
strict lines of Cubism. Johannes Itten taught vincial cities of the country. Modernism was The failure of Modernism to incorporate into
an introduction on form, colour and the tech- applied superficially. Construction was not its buildings fine arts to the extent that this
nical processing of materials, while Ludwig supported by specialized industrial units, but was done on a large scale in the case of ear-
Mies Van der Rohe, who also taught until 1925, by small firms of builders who tried to emu- lier architectural styles; the lack of historical
introduced the use of steel and glass in build- late industrial construction, while producing sensitivity that it displayed in both the built
ings, thus reflecting the light. Accordingly, the little more than handcrafted buildings. How- and unbuilt environment of the country; and
way was opened for industrial style to enter ever, Greek architects achieved impressive the meeting in the cheapest possible way (and
architectural design for buildings more gen- results, particularly in the private sector, while with little proper planning and provision) of
erally, while the trend to build on a gigantic in the public sphere the lack of construction is the needs arising from the rapid rise in popu-
scale had begun. The building is now seen as impressive: the US Embassy by Walter Gropi- lation in the country’s urban centres, ultimate-
a machine and functionality is viewed as the us, the Hilton Hotel by Emmanuel Vourekas, ly led to a reaction. For example, the term “crit-
supreme value. Spyros Staikos and Prokopis Vassiliadis, and ical localism” that Kenneth Frampton coined in
In Greece those ideas arrived around the old Athens Airport in the Hellinikon sub- his book, Modern Architecture. A critical histo-
1930, and some architects were bold enough urb by the sea, by Eero Saarinen, are some ry (1980), began to gain popularity and to influ-
to apply them in buildings during the dec- good examples. ence the architecture of buildings in Greece.
ade. However, after the Second World War, In 1953, the NBG merged with the Bank Critical localism signaled a desire to reject the
their main representative architect, Yannis of Athens, while the generation of the interwar unquestioned domination of Modernism. It
Despotopoulos, a professor at the School of architects had mostly retired from active work. aimed to foster the construction of buildings
Architecture of the National Technical Univer- The Bank decided to further expand its branch with modern technological means that are
sity of Athens (NTUA) and a student of Gro- network and at the same time undertook the tied to their surroundings, using stylistic fea-
pius, had a profound impact on the gener- initiative to finance tourist development along tures and modes of construction rooted in the
ations of architects who studied at NTUA the Saronic (Attica) coastline, thus making local tradition.
after the war. In Greece, by the 1960s, build- it necessary to expand the technical service As early as 1971, Konstantinos Dekav-
ings designed in line with this stylistic trend department. Pioneering architects behind this allas had worked along similar lines with his
emerged on a dynamic scale. As a result of the project were Konstantinos Dekavallas, Anasta- design of the Santorini NBG branch, followed
quid-pro-quo system of construction (antip- sia Tzakou and Alkis Stragalis, who were assist- by Vassilis Bogakos, who designed the Dim-
aroche) and the increase in the building coef- ed by younger colleagues, Nikolaos Londos itsana branch in the Peloponnese. Also in the
ficient for constructed floor space versus land and Grigorios Tsiveriotis as well as many col- 1970s, younger architects of the Bank contin-
plot area, the urgent housing needs gener- laborator architects. The consequent expan- ued in this mode with growing enthusiasm,
ated by internal migration were met almost sion of the Bank’s network brought it to every with branches such as those in Parikia on the

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GREE C E

Besides its principal task of providing

financial services, the National Bank of Greece
has contributed greatly to the country’s cultur-
al development, setting up institutions such as
the NBG Cultural Foundation (MIET) and the His-
torical Archive (NBG). Four of the Bank’s finest
listed buildings have been conceded, among
others, to the Cultural Foundation (MIET): the
Ottoman-period residence and the Eynard Man-
The NBG branch, Plateia Syntagmatos, sion in Athens, the Villa Kapantzi in Thessaloni-
designed by architect Konstantinos Dekavallas. ki, as already noted above, and the Thomopou-
K. Dekavallas Photographic Archive los Mansion in Plateia Georgiou Protou, Patras
(built in the late 1860s and renovated by the
Bank in 1994-1995). MIET is active in almost all
cultural fields: it publishes widely, and many of
its titles are selected each year as university text-
books; it owns a number of art collections, the
Paxinou-Minotis museum, the Historical and
Paleographical Archive, the Paper Conservation
Laboratory, the Archive of Cartography of Greek
Regions, the Cartography Archive, and the Hel-
The atrium of the NBG branch in Parikia, Paros The façade of the NBG branch in Parikia, Paros lenic Literary and Historical Archive (ELIA); and
(1978), designed by architect D. Vlachopoulos. (1978), designed by architect D. Vlachopoulos. it manages scholarships, and organizes touring
D. Vlachopoulos Photographic Archive D. Vlachopoulos Photographic Archive exhibitions and special seminars.
The NBG Historical Archive (HA/NBG)
island of Paros by Dionysis Vlachopoulos; the and converted to an office building for its ser- is housed in a building located at odos Tritis
Ioannina branch by Vassilis Harisis; the Ver- vices, as well as an old Ottoman-period Athe- Septemvriou 146 in Athens, designed by the
ia branch by Nikos Londos; and the Chalkidi- nian house located at odos Thucydides 13 in architect Nicholas Zouboulidis. Construction
ki branch by Dimitra Tsichli. The NBG thus Plaka, central Athens (architects: Alexandros S. began in June 1923 by Tekton Construction
demonstrated that its technical staff and asso- Calligas and Aristides C. Romanos) which now Company and was completed in December
ciates could play a role in projecting a kind of houses the NBG Cultural Foundation. In the 1926. It was the first building in Greece con-
national self-awareness and care for preserv- years that followed until 1989, the Bank leased structed specifically for the purposes of hous-
ing Greek popular tradition, combining archi- and restored the Melas Building in Plateia Kot- ing the Bank’s general archive. For this reason
tectural features of the localities where it zia (architects: Dionysis Vlachopoulos and Grig- specific structural requirements were put in
built its premises. orios Tsiveriotis), before the Granada Conven- place, while the interior spaces were designed
tion was integrated into Greek law in 1992. The especially as storage and not as office areas.
1985-2002. Restoration of listed buildings Bank completed this large-scale project in an In July 2000 restoration of the building began
In 1964, at the Second International Congress exemplary way. In recent years, as the owner under the supervision of the architect, Giorgos
of Architects and Specialists of Historic Build- of a large number of listed buildings the NBG Zupas, and the Bank’s technical department.
ings in Venice, the Venice Charter was adopt- became one of the country’s leading organi- In August 2002, with the completion of the res-
ed, which expanded the idea of the conserva- zations that took on the task of restoring such toration work, the NBG Historical Archive was
tion of historic monuments. It also stressed the buildings with absolute attention and exper- installed in its premises. This building, known
importance of monumental ensembles. Also, tise. An extensive programme of moderniza- as the Diomidis Building (named after the
the Amsterdam Declaration in 1975, the Final tion and restoration began: the Vatti Building in Bank’s governor under whose management
Act of the Conference on Security and Co-op- Piraeus (architect: Dionysis Vlachopoulos) and the original building was constructed), was
eration in Europe (CSCE) in 1975 and the Con- the Eynard Mansion in Athens (architect: Dimi- renovated in line with the latest construction,
vention for the Protection of the Architectur- tra Tsichli) are among the most important; oth- insulation and safety principles, while also pro-
al Heritage of Europe, Granada, 1985, are the er examples include the Villa Kapantzi in Thes- viding for state-of-the-art storage methods for
key framework texts that provide international saloniki (professor of architecture George Lavas archival materials. In addition, the interior lay-
principles of restoration today, and which aid and restoration architect Stergios Stefanou) out and design met the new working needs of
governments and experts in the conservation as well as branches in many regional towns, the premises. Modern repositories, offices for
of the architectural heritage. including Serres, Korinthos, Zakynthos island, the staff, facilities for receiving members of the
Since the early 1970s the NBG has been at Hermoupolis of Syros island and Samos island. public and researchers, exhibition spaces and
the forefront of building conservation in Greece. This enterprise was undertaken and completed workshop/laboratory spaces were created.
The former Hotel Excelsior in Plateia Omonia between 1980 and 2000 by the Bank’s technical Today, the HA/NBG is a multifunctional docu-
(architect: Grigorios Tsiveriotis) was restored services division. mentation centre for the economic, political,

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cultural and social history of the country. It

includes the Bank’s archival documents and
collections. Its operations (exhibitions, confer-
ences, research and education programmes,
provision of knowhow, publishing and cultural
events) are addressed not only to the scientific
community, but also to the general public.

The Modernization plan for the Bank’s buildings

The National Bank of Greece is not concerned
merely with showcasing its history. It is also a The Melas Building. The building was leased to the Design of the new NBG headquarters, located next
dynamically developing modern bank with NBG by the Melas Foundation in 1976, whereupon to the 19th-century central branch and head office of
its eyes on the future. It maintains an ongoing the bank undertook its thorough restoration. The the bank. The style of the new building expresses the
building was originally constructed in 1875 according modern-day business profile of the NBG Group, and
modernization program. The support of the to designs by architect Ernst Ziller. The restoration it was the unanimously preferred choice in a national
Bank’s governor, Theodoros Karatzas, played work was coordinated and supervised by the bank’s architectural competition. The first prize for the design
a key role. From 1997 until his death in 2004 technical services, under architect D. Vlachopoulos. was awarded to Thessaloniki architects I. Sakellaridou,
he worked with passion and vision to pro- D. Vlachopoulos Photographic Archive M. Papanikolaou and M. Pollani, with advisor architect
mote these ends. The Bank’s new buildings are M. Botta. Archive of NBG Technical Services
an important chapter in the story of modern
Greek architecture, inspiring confidence and first governor Georgios Stavros, purchased emblematic building (on leoforos Syngrou,
trust in its customers. the property of Kyriakos Domnados in 1845, Athens) that provides all its staff with a view of
Since 1997, when the architect, Charila- and following successive additions, adapta- the Acropolis.
os Tzannetakis, became head of the technical tions and extensions, the central building com- Looking back on the long history of the
services division, an extensive corporate identi- plex of the NBG has become practically a con- NBG’s buildings it can be seen that, from the
ty upgrade programme throughout the branch cise case-history and exhibition of modern time of its establishment, the Bank was con-
network was undertaken, as well as a large- Greek architecture, in which one can observe cerned to ensure that its buildings were at the
scale programme of modernization and restruc- key features of Greece’s architectural past. centre of the economic life of the country, not
turing of its services with a view to harmonizing At the same time, the Bank has continued to only in Athens but also in the regions. It was
its modus operandi with the international bank- enhance its branch network with new build- consistent in ensuring that its buildings’ archi-
ing environment. In that context it was deemed ings, designed in line with the latest concepts tectural designs would meet not only function-
necessary to develop and complete the building for providing banking services. These include: al requirements – facilitating the needs of both
complex of the central branch and head office the branches in the industrial zone of Thessa- employees and customers – but also the aes-
of the Bank, by holding a national architectural loniki and the Athens-Lamia National Road thetic styles of each era, thereby frequently
competition for proposals that would meet the by architects Irene Sakellaridou and Morpho creating buildings of outstanding architectur-
needs of the Bank’s expanding business. The Papanikolaou; the office building in leoforos al quality, fit to serve as reference points on the
construction of the notable new NBG head office (avenue) Athinon; and the Kifissia branch by architectural map of the country.
by architects Irene Sakellaridou, Morfo Papani- architect Giorgos Pantopoulos. Notable also
kolaou and Maria Pollani, together with consult- is the new state-of-the-art building in Ger-
ant architect, Mario Botta, was the most signif- akas, designed by architects Kyriacos Kyri- Author profile
icant architectural event in Athens in 2001, one akides and Harry Bougadellis, which houses
hundred years after the restoration of the main the Bank’s IT division and other administra-
building of the Bank by Eugène Troump. The tive operations. The construction was carried Dionysios Vlachopoulos is an architect and
discovery below the ground-floor level of part of out in accordance with demanding specifi- engineer. He was born in 1943 in Corinth. He
the ancient Athenian Acharnean Way that con- cations, in line with ISO standards, including, graduated from the School of Architecture,
nected ancient Athens with the deme of Achar- for instance, seismic protection, security and National Technical University of Athens, in
nae, as well as the trench and ancient city defen- provisions for uninterrupted operations in the 1967. He served as a reserve officer second
sive walls and traces of the so-called Acharnean event of emergency (disaster recovery pro- lieutenant engineer. In 1970 he was employed
Gate (one of the main entrance-ways into the visions). Moreover, the building can operate by the National Bank of Greece as an archi-
ancient city) meant that the architects had to autonomously, with its own power supply tect. In 1995 he became head of the architec-
solve further complex design problems. There and telecommunications. ture studies department, and in 2000 deputy
was a need to preserve and showcase the antiq- The Bank’s architectural policies in recent manager of the Technical Services division. He
uities while nevertheless meeting the modern years had a key impact on the management resigned from this post in 2001. He has special-
building’s functional needs and purposes. They of its subsidiary companies. In 2005, Ethni- ized in the restoration of neoclassical buildings
succeeded in solving the challenge in the best ki Insurance assigned architects Studio Mario and has prepared a number of studies for spe-
possible way. Botta & Sparch – I. Sakellaridou and M. Papan- cific technical requirements, office buildings
Thus, 171 years after the Bank, under its ikolaou with the project of designing another and other private projects.

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The State Bank of India’s living heritage

Abhik Ray

S
tate Bank of India (SBI), the flagship
of Indian banking, has not only pio-
neered but also shaped India’s bank-
ing sector. The bank is also among the most
prominent custodians of India’s heritage.
During its journey of more than two centu-
ries, it has created some of the most impos-
ing edifices in India, many of which hail back
to the late nineteenth century. Remarkably,
only a few of these edifices have undergone
major changes over the years, while most
remain as they were.
SBI owes its origins to the three pres-
idency banks – the Banks of Bengal, Bom-
bay and Madras – which were set up in the
nineteenth century as the first chartered Bank of Bengal, Strand Road, Calcutta, in the early 20th century. © SBI
semi-government joint-stock banks in India
with the privilege of limited liability con-
ferred on their shareholders. The objective became a landmark on the city’s riverfront by
was primarily to stabilize rates of interest about the end of the 1870s. Its baroque opu-
and mobilize credit both for the East India lence can be seen in the broken front, lon-
Company’s governments in the three pres- ic columns; in the onset of rustication in the
idencies of British India (and later the Gov- corners; in the alternating pointed and curved
ernment of India) and the European man- pediments and fretted windows. These
aging agency houses operating in India. The details show the classical face of the bank’s
three banks were merged in 1921 to form an architectural style – perhaps at its best.
all-India bank, the Imperial Bank of India, A large hall measuring 170 feet by 45
which came to be known as SBI after the feet with a height of 40 feet accommodat-
Government of India nationalized the bank ed the cash department and public debt Bank of Bengal, Strand Road office banking hall
in 1955. office with an adjoining hall for the treasury with its cast iron ceiling. © the British Library
The fact that the three presidency banks department, measuring 62 feet by 32 feet. Board, Photo 108/2(10)
occupied the apex position in the system of The ceiling made up of cast iron coffered
modern banking in India was reflected in the panels was produced in Glasgow by George
majestic edifices, which housed their main Smith & Co., Sun Foundry. It was shipped
offices in the presidency towns of Calcut- to Calcutta in 1878 with a plan detailing the In the large hall, windows with glass panes
ta (Kolkata), Bombay (Mumbai) and Madras configuration of the ceiling. It appears that carrying the bank’s cipher were delicately tint-
(Chennai). Deliberately planned, these edific- there was a miscalculation of the weight ed and tastefully juxtaposed with turquoise
es were meant to carry messages of opulence of the large hall’s iron ceiling and the truss- blues, crimson reds and mauves. A majestic
and grandeur and were in a way celebrations es of the iron roof, which were designed to marble staircase added to the grandeur.
of the commercial spirit of the empire. carry the ceiling. A light iron girder was then Tile pavements were supplied by M/s
designed specially to carry the heavy ceiling, Minton Hollins and Co., reputed manufactur-
Main offices independent of the roof. Decorating, gild- ers. The cost included the pay of two skilled
Calcutta ing and painting the ceiling of the large hall; paviors from England and their travelling
The magnificent building of the Bank of Ben- hanging and fixing the coffered panels which expenses, but was exclusive of labour charg-
gal overlooking the river Hooghly on Strand weighed 60 tons; painting and tinting the es and freight from England.
Road, Calcutta, for instance, was built in stag- walls of the large hall; and gilding the capi- A new multi-storied complex replaced
es by Mackintosh Burn & Co. The building tals – all entailed additional expenditure. the Bank of Bengal building in the late 1990s.

46 bulletin | 2017
 IN DIA

Imperial Bank of India, Apollo Street, Bombay. © SBI

Bank of Bengal cipher on stained glass pane. © SBI Stained glass pane in banking hall. © SBI

Bank of Madras, North Beach Road, Madras,

c. 1910 (courtesy: Rajan Jayakar, Mumbai)

The imposing edifice, done in the Greek

classical lonic style and boasting of natural
Bombay Malad stone for its frontage, is an
outstanding landmark in Bombay’s commer-
cial zone.

Madras
But by far the most grandiose of all the main
offices is perhaps the Bank of Madras build-
ing in Madras. Its massive structure domi-
nates the business-house stretch on North
Beach Road even to this day. It was designed
by H.C. Irwin, consulting architect of the
Government of Madras, who had earlier
designed the Viceregal Lodge at Simla and
Bank of Bombay, Bank Street, Bombay. © SBI the Amba Vilas Palace of Mysore, amongst
several others.
The agreement signed with the building
contractor specified inter alia the use of Pal-
lavaram stones for stone columns, corbels,
etc; Sholinghur stones for the entrance and
Bombay About half a century later the bank staircase, parapets, arches and basement
The foundation stone of the Bank of Bom- authorities decided to erect new head office floor; well-seasoned Burma teak for doors,
bay building in Bombay was laid in a mili- premises on the adjacent Apollo Street. windows etc; Cuddapah slabs for cornices,
tary ceremony by the Bombay Governor Bar- On the basis of an all-India competition, floorings, etc.; and English encaustic floor
tle Frere. The building was erected in 1866 the design of Thomas Sedgwick Gregson, tiles (Minton’s) for the board room on the
on Bank Street amidst the High Victorian the eminent architect, who had designed second floor and the public hall. Mangalore
splendour of Elphinstone (Horniman) Circle. the majestic Royal Exchange in Calcut- pattern glass tiles were chosen for the ceiling
Its heavy cornice, symmetrical single-plane ta, was accepted by the bank. Gregson was of the public hall on the first floor, decorated
front, rows of regular rounded arches and a appointed as architect of the new building and fashioned following the example of the
balustered terrace represented a departure and his fees were fixed at 5 per cent of the Connemara Public Library.
from the buildings of uniform design, which cost of the building. The construction of the The massive building was up in a lit-
were built around the Elphinstone Circle at Imperial Bank’s Apollo Street building was tle over two years and was described by
this time. completed in 1924. Indian Engineering of 4 February 1899 as

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I NDI A

Exquisite stained glass pane characteristic of

the local architecture. © SBI

Bank of Madras, North Beach Road, banking hall. Imperial Bank of India, Mount Road, Madras. © SBI
© SBI

A close view of a lantern on the roof. © SBI Tarawali Kothi, Lucknow. © SBI

‘an adaptation of Hindu-Saracenic free- stonework of the famous Cuddapah gran- Branch offices
ly treated, the details of the various orna- ite, lent an air of irrefragable stability so The 1860s saw a vast expansion of bank-
ments being after approved specimens of characteristic of the bank it represented. ing activities at the presidency banks. The
existing buildings on the north’. A remark- Inside, commodious halls with cupolas branch offices that proliferated all over Brit-
able feature of the design was its twin tow- overhead, decorative pillars, arches and ish India at ports and inland trade centres
ers, each consisting of a ‘dome surmount- spandrels, ornamental floor tile (another were either housed in bank buildings or
ed by a lantern carried by eight stone Italian touch) and a profusion of stained those acquired through hire or purchase.
pillars and surmounted by a smaller dome glass panes symbolize a deliberate stride Some of these buildings were modelled
terminating in a stone filial’. The red brick towards a hybrid Imperial style of Indian on the Palladian or Greek Revival styles,
with black pointing, relieved by massive architecture. so popular in India until the middle of the

48 bulletin | 2017
 IN DIA

Imperial Bank of India, Strand Street, Rangoon © SBI Imperial Bank of India, Calicut. © SBI Imperial Bank of India, Madura. © SBI

Imperial Bank of India, Simla. © SBI Imperial Bank of India, Jalpaiguri. © SBI

nineteenth century. A fine example of this SBI withdrew from Rangoon in 1963 fol- Venetians on the upper part of the first
early nineteenth-century colonial style is the lowing the nationalization of banks in Burma floor verandah and the gabled corrugated
impressive Mount Road (Anna Salai) branch (Myanmar) and has only recently returned iron roof is still evident at the bank’s Jal-
erected in 1918 in spotless white with an to the city with a new branch on Rangoon paiguri branch in north Bengal. It was built
abundance of Ionic columns all around. The Road. The erstwhile branch building is today in 1899.
six columns in front with the central four the city’s stock exchange. The dak bungalow architectural style,
surmounted by a pediment and a terraced Many of SBI’s buildings also deserve designed by engineers of the Government’s
porte-cochere with arches in the accept- notice as illustrations of the tremendous Public Works Department, is marked by
ed style of mixed orders makes it one of the cultural and climatic variations rather than thin columns, a wide verandah, a sloping or
most impressive buildings on Mount Road. as significant architectural achievements in flat roof and an occasional porte-cochere.
Another fine example of the neo-clas- their own right. What is most fascinating in These features are still visible in some of the
sical style is the Tarawali Kothi in Lucknow. them is the richness of local styles, which branch buildings of the bank in the north-
Erected in the 1830s it boasts a Doric style characterize many of these buildings. ern and eastern parts of India.
six-column front surmounted by a bare ped- This is most evident in branches like the Today all these edifices of the bank
iment. The two-storied palatial building one at Calicut (Kozhikode), which is charac- are a symbol of its cultural identity and
was built as an observatory at the initiative terized by its wide and airy verandah, thin col- continuity – a part of SBI’s living heritage.
of Nasir-ud-din Haidar of Oudh. It was later umns which support rather than impress, and
used as a refuge by the mutineers during the the porte-cochere with the terrace on top.
First War of Independence in 1857. Tarawali The one-storied building at Madura Author profile
Kothi was taken on rent by the bank in 1863 has a distinctive local character. The trop-
and eventually purchased in 1889 and is ics dominate the architectural idiom and the
today the Lucknow Main Branch of SBI. verandah once again is a prominent feature. Abhik Ray, Coordinator, History Project
The bank’s Rangoon (Yangon) office on The heavily rusticated wall is characteristic of the State Bank of India and formerly
Strand Street was erected in 1917 by Mackin- but the hallmark is provided by the copy in its Deputy General Manager (History), is
tosh Burn & Co. It comprises arched windows stone of the pitcher-and-coconut motif on intimately involved in the writing of SBI’s
and openings on the ground floor, huge lon- two sides of the arched entrance. monumental history. His books include
ic columns with pediments on top in the Built in 1911 with a gabled roof the Banking Beyond Boundaries; SBI’s Liv-
upper floors, heavy rustications, balustered formidable building of stone and timber ing Heritage: Edifices and Beyond and The
balconies and a terrace, and a raised cupo- of the Simla (Shimla) branch,resembles a Bank of India: Hundred Years of Pruden-
la made prominent by its ornamentation. Swiss cottage. tial Banking. He has also conceptualized
The building is a landmark of the city’s main The style of tea garden building archi- the banking museums of the State Bank of
commercial artery. tecture complete with fixed wooden India and the Bank of India.

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The real estate and the architecture of

the Banque de l’Indochine: an overview
Pascal Pénot

F
irst, we must say that this subject
deserves a real and complete study
and as the title shows it, this arti-
cle is just a beginning. The main sources are
the archives of the Banque de l’Indochine
and the books of Marc Meuleau (Des Pion-
niers en Extrême-Orient, histoire de la Ban-
que de l’Indochine (1875-1975) and Patrice
Morlat (Indochine années 20, l’âge d’or de
l’affairisme colonial (1918-1928) : banquiers,
hommes d’affaires et patrons en réseaux).
We also used a brochure on the history of the
Banque de l’Indochine in Djibouti.

In Paris, it took 50 years to find the final

head office
In 1875 various companies created the Ban-
que de l’Indochine (Comptoire d’escompte The Banque de l’Indochine in Noumea, circa 1888
de Paris, Banque nationale de Paris…). By
privilege of the French State, the bank was
an issuing and merchant bank for the colo-
nies of Indochina (the first branch was in Sai- insufficient workforce. Only in 1922 was the This first settlement was followed by
gon in 1875). Later, it was extended to India final head office of the Banque de l’Indo- many and we can see some common points
(Pondicherry in 1877), China (some settle- chine in this great business district. Finally, between them. First of all, with the excep-
ments in Beijin, Shanghai, Yunnanfou…), the company had a local presence that was tion of Yunnanfou, all of them are built near a
Djibouti (1908), Pacific Ocean with Papeete, worthy of its name. waterway to benefit from the transport busi-
Nouméa (1888) and Port-Vila (1948). ness and to offer more directly its services
The first real estate of the Banque de Common points and differences between to the merchant companies: near the Sang-
l’Indochine was its head office in Paris. Ini- the settlements ker river in Battambang; near the Red River
tially established in the rue de la Grange- Quickly, in 1875, the Banque had to open a in Haiphong; near the Han River; the South
Batelière, in 1902 the company moved to a branch in Saigon. This affair was eased by China Sea in Tourane, and near the cus-
larger building in 15 rue Lafitte in order to the closure of the branch of the Comptoire toms dock in Djibout. Obviously this location
extend its activities. The growth of the secu- d’escompte: the staff and the building were exposed properties to floods like the one
rity servicing posed problems of space and, acquired by the new company. However, the that took place in Hankow1 in 1931.
in 1913, the board of directors decided to director, Claude Léger announced in May Another common point of these set-
relocate the bank’s central services: in May that he had bought a building at the cross- tlements was the accompaniment of the
the bank bought a building in 76 rue d’An- roads of the street Pellerin and the dock of local administration. The installation of
jou for 1,15 million francs. In July the com- the big Chinese stream. The house, with the Banque de l’Indochine was viewed as
pany bought the next building, located one level, is attractive with its square col- an enhancement of the colonies and the
at 96 boulevard Haussmann, for 1,25 mil- umns. It was built in stone, which was rare administration provided land to the compa-
lion francs. This one, composed of apart- in the country, for security reasons. Costum- ny in order to erect buildings that served to
ments, was not adapted to a head office. A ers were to be impressed by this rich build- affirm the French presence. In Battambang,
great redevelopment began but, in 1915, ing without ostentatious luxury. It was to be the director, Leconte de Lisle, obtained a
the work was blocked: 15 tons of equipment used by the bank during its presence in Indo- large land parcel of 200 meters by 100
were requisitioned while there was also an china and was expanded several times. 1. Currently Wuhan.

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Djibouti, headquarter of the bank, circa 1910

Djibouti, advertising brochure, 1960 The bank in Pondicherry, circa 1880

meters from the administration. It was the construction causes solidity problems, not project management of these buildings to
same in Djibouti, in 1907, where the authori- to mention the attacks of insects. In 1921, the Crédit foncier de l’Indochine, one of his
ties grant him 750 m2. Even before construc- one of the buildings of Singapore had to be affiliate societies.
tion began, the local government conceded destroyed because of the “white ants” which
temporary buildings: always in Battambang, ate the wood. However, a stone building was “… in our other buildings expenditure on
there was a Chinese house divided in two not a guarantee of solidity: the madrepore luxuries should be excluded.”
compartments, the ground floor for the offic- stone of Djibouti was not able to resist the The embellishment was often cosmopoli-
es and the first floor for the director and the earthquakes of 1929 and 1920. Some cracks tan. For example, the decoration of Hanoi in
cashier. The construction of some “paillotes” appeared on the façades. 1906 mixed French furniture, made by Viter-
was necessary to accommodate the staff The architectural style was mainly bo, Annamite embroidered silk panels, Chi-
and the gatekeeper. European. Good examples are the branch- nese vases and Japanese screens. Similar-
The Banque de l’Indochine need- es of Saigon and Hanoi which were built or ly, it included mixed materials of local and
ed three types of buildings: bank build- extended in the 1920’s by the architect Félix European origins. In Hanoi, the columns of
ings, houses for directors and the staff, and Dumail: these high buildings with great col- the hall were in red marble of Tonkin and
warehouses. As said before, the bank build- umns crowned by cupolas are very modern the printed glass in the angles cupolas are
ing was important to show the power of and show little in common with the local from Saint-Gobain (“type 31”). In Tourane,
the French presence. It needed to be state- architecture. At the opposite, in 1908, in Dji- the director of the branch gave the build-
ly but without ostentation. The use of stone bouti the architect Faucon built an arcaded ing the appearance of a “local art museum”
was privileged to protect the bank from house in Yemenite style. So, with the excep- which was heavily criticized by Paul Gannay.
attacks. This aspect is, of course, very impor- tion of buildings which were constructed In 1928 this man created the vision for the
tant for an issuing bank, which stocks a lot by the same architect, it seems that there ideal decoration of the bank. He became the
of banknotes. Another reason to employ the is no style unity for the Banque de l’In- general inspector for the Far East branches
stone had to do with the climate: in coun- dochine despite the fact that, at least in and described the new building of Haiphong
tries with a lot of rains, the use of wood in Indochina, the company delegated all the in the following way: “It is a very beautiful

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I NDO C HI N A

Hanoi, circa 1906. The decoration mixes French

furniture, made by Viterbo, with Annamite
embroidered silk panels, Chinese vases and Japanese
screens (caption taken from Marc Meuleau, op. cit)

The building of Saigon circa 1890, corner of the street Pellrin and the Chinese stream The building of Saigon, 1875

building, severe in appearance, but not with- a description of the offices of the branch of beautiful homes, which were pleasant and
out harmony. As a whole it is successful and Noumea in 1926: “The cashier is obliged to nice to welcome VIPs. To compensate for the
what is most striking is both the luxury and have an assistant who does not pay but who fact that he lived in a difficult country, the
tasteful installation management office and receives and gives him his receipts morn- board of directors of the bank granted 35 037
apartment. You know what it costs to our ing and evening; only the wicket width sep- francs to the director of Djibouti to erect
overhead and, if it is appropriate to recall arates these two employees and the public a beautiful house which enjoyed the sea
that in our other buildings expenditure on and a violent air current could very well blow breeze on the Plateau du Serpent. The lower
luxuries should be excluded, it is good to away the banknotes deposited in wood lock- ranked staff did not enjoy the same privilege:
write that here they have the least not with- ers. It will be essential to include in the new in 1912, on the boulevard Bonhoure, always
out result”. installation project a protected location for a in Djibouti, the bank constructed a building
The internal organization of buildings payer (preferably with a grid)”. to accommodate European employees and
may also reflect the colonial organization their families. The ground floor is used as
of the society. A letter describes the future The construction of a real estate power a warehouse “to house goods on which we
organization of the building in Hanoi in So, a lot of buildings were built or renewed agree in advance, because these operations
1926 as: “The indigenous staff has a special in the 1920’s and the Banque de l’Indochine are expected to grow”.
entrance to the North. By a corridor leading had a large portfolio of real estate. This evo- The construction costs of the warehous-
in the lobby, and by 16 steps, he can enter lution can be followed in the annual reports: es were partly offset by rental income. In
the central bank’s cash of the hall and from the reporting line for buildings increases 1891, the board of directors was very satis-
there up to accounting department without every year and reflects the bank’s acquisition fied with the new warehouses of Pondicher-
crossing the space for the public. The parts policy. Regularly the company indicates that ry: “The stores (…) were completed in time
which are reserved [to the indigenous staff] it owns the majority of the buildings where it and to our complete satisfaction. Opened at
to the basement are widely prescribed”. has offices. An example in 1893: “Construc- the beginning of the current year, they are,
Paul Gannay had an essential role in tion work we are now doing in Haiphong, at present, completely filled, and we are
the transformation of the real estate of the on the land that we own in recent years, will confident that the rental price will largely
Banque de l’Indochine during the 1920’s. be completed during 1893. Then, we will be cover the interest of the sums allocated for
Always on the go to visit the branch head- installed in buildings belonging to us in all their construction. We have every reason to
quarters, he gave his advice on every aspect cities where we have branches or agencies”. congratulate ourselves on the decision we
of the working business, even on the size of Taking advantage of the development of the made, because of the security that these
the wickets and vaults used to conserve the colonies, the bank’s properties benefited stores now provide the collateral of goods
banknotes. These scale problems emerge from capital gains. conferred upon us, their benefits to trade
during this period and show the growth of A part of these properties comprised and sanitary conditions they provide to the
the bank. A good example of this situation is houses for directors. These notables enjoyed city of Pondicherry”.

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Djibouti, house of the director on the Plateau du Serpent (circa 1939)

A new generation of buildings after the

Second World War: the example of Djibouti
After the Second World War, another gener-
ation of buildings came into existence. Dji-
bouti seems to be a good example of the
adaptation of the Banque de l’Indochine to a
new environment. The bank abandoned the
privilege of issuing and became a merchant
bank and a retail bank in a rapidly modern-
izing city. In these conditions, the Banque
de l’Indochine gave up its outdated head- The headquarters of the bank in Hankow during Haiphong, hall of the bank and wicket of the
quarters in the boulevard Bonhoure in 1954 the floods in 1931 cashier, circa 1885
for a new building constructed at 10 place
Lagarde in the business district. Even if the
façade is misdirected against the prevail- information and an important reservoir of • Marc Meuleau, Des Pionniers en Extrême
ing winds, this new building serves to illus- stories. The fund of the directorate of exter- -Orient, histoire de la Banque de l’Indochine
trate the modernity of the place. The pub- nal branches contains a large series of cor- (1875-1975), Paris, Fayard, 1990.
lic discovers an important, storied building respondence and reports, where real estate • Roger Nougaret, Colette Dubois, Anne Brun-
constructed of reinforced concrete and no and architectural issues are discussed. This terc’h et Pascal Pénot, Un Siècle de savoir-
longer of madrepore. The wooden shutters study can also be based on a large and faire à Djibouti. Banque Indosuez Mer Rouge
have given way, on three floors, to many unique collection of photographs, examples (1908-2008), Crédit Agricole SA, 2008.
sheltered and wide openings with metal sun- of which are published here.
shades. This is a flagship of functional archi-
tecture, clear, with air conditioners and tele- All images: © Crédit Agricole SA Author profile
phones. However, in 1972, a report stressed
that there is already a lack of space in offices. Literature and sources
This old problem always returns in the histo- • Archives historiques de Crédit Agricole SA, Pascal Pénot is graduated with a master in
ry of the bank buildings. fund Banque de l’Indochine. history and a master in archival science. He
As written in introduction, this article is • Patrice Morlat, Indochine années 20, l’âge worked for the NATO’s archives and, later, for
just an overview and the archives of the Ban- d’or de l’affairisme colonial (1918-1928): the French Foreign Office. In the service of
que de l’Indochine, now retained by Crédit banquiers, hommes d’affaires et patrons en historical archives of Crédit Agricole SA since
Agricole SA, can deliver a large amount of réseaux, Paris, Les Indes savantes, 2016. 2006, is his responsible since 2016.

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The palace of Istituto Bancario San Paolo di Torino

Ilaria Bibollet

P
alazzo Turinetti di Pertengo is part of
the wider project that changed the
urban and architectural face of Turin
between the 16th and the 17th century, after
the city became the capital of the State of
Savoy in 1563. The palace is located in the his-
toric district of San Giorgio, at the corner of
piazza Castello and via Santa Teresa. It was
built under the regency of Christine of France
on a plan by Carlo di Castellamonte, the ducal
architect and military engineer, who designed
the entire Royal Square (Piazza Reale, cur-
rently piazza San Carlo) as an extension of
the Via Nuova (today Via Roma) into the area
of the “New Town” (Città Nuova).1 The works
were commissioned by duke Charles Emma-
nuel I. The Turinetti di Pertengo were “bank-
ers in this town” and very close to the Court.
They were actively involved in the construc-
tion of one of the palaces facing onto the
square, in line with the uniform design con-
ceived by Castellamonte himself as a quin-
tessential example of Baroque, which is today
the heart of the old town.
The palace was enlarged and renewed in
the 18th century and changed hands repeat-
edly over time, becoming the property of a Istituto Bancario San Paolo di Torino (today Intesa Sanpaolo): the vault by Beaumont
number of aristocratic families of Turin. In the
early 20th century the palace was purchased
by count Renaud di Faliçon, who undertook the G.I.R.E.S.C.A corporate group (Gruppi and the adjoining Caffè San Carlo. The objec-
a partial renovation of the apartments on the Industriale Rinnovamento Edilizio S. Carlo), tive was to reinstate the Baroque aspect of
piano nobile and changed the decorations. which had acquired the whole building in the square and the palace through the acqui-
The air raids on Turin in 1942 and 1943 1945 and sold it, in turn, in 1951 to Istituto sition of pertinent decorations and furniture.
significantly damaged the square and fires Bancario San Paolo. Upon receiving autho- Midana would be working with Mario Dez-
burned down the roofs and the wooden rization from the Bank of Italy, the banking zutti, who in 1961 took over the design and
parts of the palaces, resulting in the loss of institute chose Palazzo Turinetti as its offi- supervision of the project to complete the
the original decorations and furnishings2. cial seat. In addition to an adequate main new, modern banking office, that would be
The façades were also severely damaged office, the banking institute also needed a built anew in the palace’s inner court.
and part of the walls collapsed. Palazzo Turi- new banking agency connected to confer- Caffè San Carlo, one of Turin’s most
netti was also severely damaged. ence halls, cultural venues, office space, popular cafés, was also seriously dam-
The reconstruction of the palace after and shops. Along with the structural renova- aged in the bombings; Midana and Dezzut-
the war was undertaken by the new owner, tion, the palace also required restoration of ti restored its 19th century appeal, following
its historical parts into a harmonious whole the same rationale that guided the renova-
1 Costanza Roggero Bardelli, Palazzo Turinetti. Torino, Intesa so as to minimise subsequent interventions tion of the palace, but on a smaller scale.
Sanpaolo, 2011.
2 Sara Abram, La sede di piazza San Carlo: acquisti, recuperi e over time. The first phase of the renovation of
ambientazioni dal dopoguerra agli anni Settanta, in W. Barberis In 1955 the Institute appointed the archi- the entire block required the demolition of
e A. Cantaluppi (a cura di), La Compagnia di San Paolo (1563-
2013), vol. secondo, Einaudi, Torino, 2013, pp. 568-598. tect Arturo Midana to renovate the palace lower constructions that enclosed small,

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Palazzo Turinetti in piazza San Carlo in Turin after Caffè San Carlo after the air raids of 1943 Construction yard for the reconstruction of the
the air raids of 1943 headquarters of Istituto Bancario San Paolo di
Torino in piazza San Carlo, 1970

stifling courtyards, which were ill-suited to

be reused in any way. In his effort to strike a
perfect balance between ancient and mod-
ern, Dezzutti embarked on a project that
comprised the various sections of the com-
plex to be created. The restoration project
aimed to restore the uniform appearance of
the Baroque aristocratic residence, relying
heavily on the antiques market as a source
of appropriate artefacts. A coordinated effort
by a large team of decorators, upholsterers, Drive-in banking service, 1968 The glass and steel wing of the banking agency in
stucco workers, carpenters and craftsmen piazza San Carlo, post 1963
specialized in mirrors and glass was put in
place to refurbish the various halls.
The ceilings of the spaces that look closed circuit television system was put in Hundred (Salone dei Trecento) was complet-
onto Via Maria Vittoria are the first exam- place along with pneumatic mail, safes and ed. It included a state-of-the-art conference
ple of a fixed decorative apparatus coming vaults. An exhibition gallery was designed room equipped with a projection system and
from another residence in Turin. These were to display the bank’s historical documents, translation booths.
purchased, transferred and reassembled as well as a conference hall and a car park-
in the bank’s headquarters. The frescoes ing area. All pictures: © Archivio Storico della
would be moved again in later years after The faithful preservation of the Compagnia di San Paolo
the Second World War for preventive and Baroque façade and structure of the palace
exhibition purposes. was accompanied by the architectural deci-
In parallel, the banking institute also sion to position the banking facility in the Author profile
acquired furniture that served to define the courtyard, in a cutting-edge structure made
stately décor of the bank’s headquarters in of glass and steel, thus creating a single,
Turin. The artworks and furniture for the flawless architectural vision. The overall Ilaria Bibollet is a freelance archivist. She has
palace were purchased by the bank through effect perfectly reflected the bank’s expec- managed different types of archives including
Pietro Accorsi, a prominent antiquities deal- tations in terms of aesthetics and pleasant- municipal, ecclesiastical, corporate archives,
er of the time. In the spring of 1960 Accorsi ness on the eye. archives of Turin-based cultural associations,
met with the president of the banking insti- The new complex was inaugurated in and archival funds conserved at the Turin
tute, Luciano Jona, to discuss the ambience the fall of 1963 in the presence of the Pres- State Archives. In 2014 she was hired as an
of the new premises. ident of the Italian Republic, Antonio Seg- archivist by Compagnia di San Paolo in Turin
The refurbishment of the ceremoni- ni, and the Mayor of Turin, Giovanni Carlo to focus on safeguarding, archiving, promot-
al spaces of the complex proceeded in par- Anselmetti. 1963 was the year that marked ing, and consulting papers, which date from
allel to that of the functional and service the fourth centenary of the establishment of 1563, when Compagnia di San Paolo was cre-
areas, including the adoption of techno- the banking institute. The event was wide- ated, until to 1991.
logical solutions to perform banking oper- ly covered by the media and made the front
ations and provide services for the pub- page of all the local newspapers. These lat- Ilaria Bibollet
lic inspired by the highest international ter saluted the recovery of the ancient pal- Fondazione 1563 per l’Arte e la Cultura
banking standards. All front office opera- ace and the creation of a “sci-fi” bank- della Compagnia di San Paolo
tions were mechanized. A drive-in banking ing facility. In 1964 the construction work ilaria.bibollet@fondazione1563.it
and automated teller system was set up. A for the Art Gallery and the Hall of the Three www.fondazione1563.it

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A photographic tour of the Intesa Sanpaolo Group

Historical Archives: from the Group’s historic
buildings to its new Turin headquarters
Serena Berno

I
n the last special edition of the eabh
Bulletin devoted to banking architecture
we described the contribution made by
the staff of the Intesa Sanpaolo Group His-
torical Archives to the current management
of the Group’s architectural heritage. In this
article we will take a look at the relation-
ship between photography and architec-
ture, a “happy union” found in the more than
90,000 images held in the collections of the
Historical Archives.
Broadly speaking, architectural pho-
tographs serve the research, planning and
communication needs of designers, archi-
tects, engineers and scholars from disci-
plines including history, architecture, art and
photography itself. Palazzo Donghi, Cassa di Risparmio di Padova’s headquarters in Padua, designed by Daniele Donghi
The photographic collections of the His- in the 1920s. Unknown photographer
torical Archives cover a wide time and geo-
graphical span, with images of buildings that:
• range greatly in terms of size and type, External users including professors are sometimes given free rein to express their
from the most important, notable edifices and university students avail themselves of own particular visual language and style, in
to smaller local structures; the photographs to explore both the lives many circumstances this artistic freedom is
• were constructed from 1872 to the present, and personalities of architects, engineers shaped or even curtailed by clients.
making it possible in some cases to retrace and interior designers and the construc- For example, at the beginning of the
the evolution not just of individual build- tion processes of the buildings they worked twentieth century, when banking institutions
ings (through photographs taken in differ- on. The photographic heritage is also a vital commissioned well-known artist-photogra-
ent time periods), but also of the surround- resource for the Intesa Sanpaolo Group’s phers to document architectural work, the
ing urban landscape; own people, as it provides access to docu- latter tended to do so through an education-
• are located (as foreign representative ments and images that are of fundamental al “lens”, in an almost scientific manner. How-
offices, branches and subsidiaries) in vari- importance when restoring historic build- ever, towards the end of the century banks
ous parts of the world, thus enabling view- ings in compliance with the guidelines of began to take a new approach, placing greater
ers to take a virtual trip around the globe. regional superintendents. value on the role of artist-photographers and
This wealth of materials – not typically Finally, photographs are essential for their personal style in portraying the architec-
found within a single photographic archive communicating the corporate image and ture of both historic and contemporary build-
can help researchers gain greater insight identity, and their creation has thus tradition- ings, and using their artistic output to build up
into various aspects of banking architec- ally been entrusted to prominent photogra- and strengthen corporate identity.
ture over the past 145 years. The inquiries phers. This brings up the issue when con- The photographic reportage of the con-
received nearly every day by the Historical sidering particular photographic services of struction of the Intesa Sanpaolo Group’s new
Archives regarding the photographic col- whether and to what extent their authors are headquarters in Turin, which was inaugurat-
lections reflect just how diverse the use of influenced by the managers, who commis- ed on 10 April 2015, is a good example of this
these materials is. sion the work. Indeed, while photographers more recent approach. Initially undertaken for

56 bulletin | 2017
 ITALY

internal documentation purposes alone, the

reportage soon began to chronicle the entire
construction process and to communicate the
importance of the work not only for the Group
itself but also for the city (see http://grattac-
ielo.intesasanpaolo.com/gallery). Press cam-
paigns linked the cutting-edge contemporary
architecture with the Group’s modern cor-
porate identity. Even though the materials
are quite recent, the Historical Archives has
already acquired a part of them.

A brief description of the Intesa Sanpaolo

skyscraper
Commissioned and wholly financed by
Intesa Sanpaolo, the building houses the
Group’s Turin headquarters. It is located close
to the Porta Susa railway station and the his-
toric town centre, and looks onto a public The Palermo branch of Banca Commerciale
green space that was also redeveloped by Italiana, designed by Studio BBPR: the
the Group. The skyscraper was designed by monumental staircase decorated by Renato
Guttuso, 2009. Unknown photographer
the Renzo Piano Building Workshop, winner
of the 2006 competition to design the bank’s
new headquarters (Piano also designed the
headquarters of Credito Industriale Sardo
in Cagliari in 1992; that bank has since been
merged into the Intesa Sanpaolo Group).
The Turin skyscraper is 166 metres high
and has 44 floors, 38 of which are above
ground. Twenty-seven of them are occu-
pied by Intesa Sanpaolo offices, where the
building’s architects paid special atten- The New York branch of Banca Commerciale The Palermo branch of Banca Commerciale
tion to the lighting and comfort of the work Italiana on One William Street, designed by Italiana, designed by Studio BBPR: the
spaces of employees and managers, with Francis M. Kimball and renovated by Gino Valle, monumental staircase decorated by Renato
30 December 1982. Photograph by Santi Visalli Guttuso, 2009. Unknown photographer
services including a staff canteen and nurs-
ery. There are public spaces and services on
several of the bottom and top floors. On the
ground floor we find a “transparent” hall,
while the third and fourth floors feature a energy captured by photovoltaic pan-
variable internal layout auditorium whose els installed on its southern façade; and Author profile
motorized platforms and customized sound a system to harvest and utilize rainwater.
system allow it to be used both as an exhibi- It is thanks to these features, which have
tion space and a conference or concert hall. made it possible to cut down significant- Serena Berno earned her degree in Archival
On the thirty-fifth, thirty-sixth and thirty-sev- ly on energy consumption, that the Green Science from the University of Milan in 2011
enth floors there is a bioclimatic greenhouse Building Council – the leading international while working as a photographer’s assistant.
(approximately 15,000 square meters large) authority on sustainable buildings – recent- She later specialized in the preservation and
incorporating a hanging garden and restau- ly awarded the building with one of its management of photographic archives at
rant, an exhibition hall and a cafeteria with a first-ever Platinum LEED certifications, the CFP Bauer, a professional training institute
panoramic terrace, all open to the public. highest rating issued for leadership in ener- in Milan. She has worked in the photograph-
The result of advanced research with gy and environmental design. The skyscraper ic section of the Intesa Sanpaolo Group His-
respect to environmental sustainability, also ranks among the top ten most environ- torical Archives since 2007, and also acts as
the skyscraper features: a double-skin glass mentally-friendly new high-rise buildings in editor of both the Photographic Notebooks
façade; ventilated interspaces between the the world. series and the Web-based catalogs of the
floors; a geothermal heat and lighting sys- photographic collections.
tem that takes advantage of surrounding All images: © Intesa Sanpaolo Group
natural sources of energy including solar Historical Archives

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The Sant’Elia building in Milan

Francesca Malvezzi

I
n 1989 the Sant’Elia Building in Milan was
inaugurated and it became clear that the
efficiency of banking services could no
longer exclude the rational use of IT resourc-
es. Built to accommodate and coordinate
the IT services of Credito Italiano, the new
Centro di Elaborazione Dati (CED) also gath-
ered the services of collection, processing
and data retention in its spaces. It required
a close examination of the advanced tech-
nology and the architectural proposal of the
container. The building was, in fact, intended
to house automated tasks and was designed
to respond to technological changes with
maximum flexibility.
Otherwise, Credito Italiano (later
merged into UniCredit) was one of the first
banks to deal with information technology
and telecommunications issues. After 1945, The first project of the new CED headquarters, [1984], Archivio storico UniCredit
when technological maturity was able to
accommodate the growing volume of trans-
actions generated by the economic recovery, was up to 25 million per year. Therefore, it fragmentation of the various offices into
it was necessary to study suitable architec- became necessary to reduce the processing more buildings, even very distant from each
tural solutions to increase these technolo- time and the space occupied by the archives. other, could not be tolerated long. This was
gies in different work areas and for the relat- The “Accounting Centre” was centralized in due to the foreseeable increase of electron-
ed changes in work organization. Milan and had to store information from 300 ic installation and the high concentration of
The introduction of the first electric branches in 150 different locations. staff (more than 1,100 elements).
accounting machines in Credito Italiano In the second half of the sixties, the The CED represented the evolution of the
branches already had taken place in the invention of “polling”, an automatic search- “Accounting Centre” Department, which was
thirties, when it had surpassed half a mil- ing system, which allowed the withdraw- allocated at its inception in 1945 into two build-
lion current and savings accounts and the al and return of data in “real time” by pro- ings built in Via Prati (Milan). The two buildings
number of the entries reached ten million cessors from multiple different peripheral were originally intended for use as bursars’ offic-
per year. The concentration in a data pro- points, revolutionized banking services and es and archives, and later integrated with the
cessing “centre”, however, began only after allowed for the growth of private banking renovation of a third building and the construc-
the war, when the first large programmable services, such as family accounts, agree- tion of three other buildings adjacently locat-
punch card calculator also acquired not only ments with employees and large companies. ed. The capacity of these properties had grad-
computation, but also processing capabili- The purchase of third-generation comput- ually become insufficient in connection with
ty. It was thus possible to eliminate strenu- ers, equipped not only with magnetic tape, the growth of automation programmes for the
ous and repetitive activities, which present- but also with random access and high speed services, so that from the 1960s the Bank was
ed heavy working tasks, such as: the closing drives, made it possible to handle nearly two forced to find other places for rent in the city.
of accounts, the capitalization of interest on million accounts and deposits and over 70 In addition, the building in the ​​Via Prati
deposits, inventories, the crediting of cou- million transactions per year. area, which was located in a large agglomerate
pons to depositors, etc. The mechanical data With the constant increase of telemat- mainly intended for housing, could not be pro-
processing system was replaced by an elec- ic services, a reconsideration of the whole vided with optimal safety measures. The situa-
tronic one in 1960. The number of customer problem of Centro di Elaborazione Dati was tion could only be countered with the construc-
relationships had already exceeded one mil- imposed at the end of the seventies. The tion of a new complex designed to answer those
lion and the number of accounting records saturation limit had been reached and the particular uses.

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Finding a free area initially appeared

impossible in the city urban fabric, even in
the suburbs, so the transfer of the CED to
surrounding municipalities was considered.
However, the cost per square metre of the
best areas served by transport had reached
costs equal to the semi-central areas of the
city. An open area was finally found in via
Sant’Elia between Monte Stella and the Gal-
laratese neighborhood, near Underground
line 1. The solution was optimal, firstly
because: it allowed the creation of a free and
articulate body block; secondly, it was able
to meet the requirements; thirdly, because
of the safety of a modern complex; and final-
ly, for the position in the most easily accessi-
ble urban fabric, well served by public trans- The definitive project of the new CED headquarters, [1984], Archivio storico UniCredit
port and the roads.
At the meeting of 23 September, 1980,
the Board of Directors therefore approved
the purchase of the land. The design and
construction of the complex was coordinat-
ed by the Bank’s Technical Service. In par-
ticular, the project was carried out by archi-
tect Ignazio Gardella and architect Paolo
Crescini. The construction site of the new
CED was opened in January 1985.
The buildable volume permitted by
the town plan proposed a study of a build-
ing which was concentrated in height and
enclosed by a green area in order to ensure
an adequate transition between the new
built-up area and the surrounding urban
landscape. The project involved the con-
struction of a complex with modern tech-
nological systems so as to minimize the The Sant’Elia area, [1989], Archivio storico UniCredit
possibility of disruption in the operation of
electronic equipment, and able to receive and changing surface that reflects the sur-
thousands of employees, officers and tech- rounding landscape, and by a gray granite
nicians. The building had to be an intelligent boundary that sets the building outlines in
building, with systems and/or facilities able horizontal and vertical bands, recalling the
to ensure the its protection and operation idea of a porch. The palace is in fact inserted
independent of human intervention. into a predominantly residential context and
The first project configuration was com- the portico recalls an invitation for socializ-
posed on the basis of functional require- ing, and the glass surface recreates the daily
ments, namely on the separation between image of the window.
the basic information technology instal- The idea of the lower porch is repeated
lations and work areas: computers and in the smaller adjoining building designed
machinery were collocated on the lower lev- for food service and other offices of the CED.
els, whereas offices and work areas were These distinctive features of the project
located in the higher levels. reflect the architectural ideas of ​​Ignazio Gar-
The designers then focused on the idea della as “an open work”, an essential vision
of creating a maximum sized base on which of building. Furthermore, the ivory gray Sar-
to raise a leaner structure. The severe volu- dinia granite slabs form a dense pattern,
metric totality was lightened in the exterior which breaks the uniformity without contra-
façade by the glass walls, forming a moving dicting the orthogonal rhythm and give the The main façade, [1989], Archivio storico UniCredit

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whole form lightness. The movement of the

architectural volumes of the building high-
lights the offset value of the granite and
the glass surface, creating a series of virtu-
al corners. Each slab is separated from the
rear structure by an interspace, allowing
the free movement of the same interspace.
The stained-glass windows, which are bul-
let proof, were also designed to guarantee
the thermal insulation with minimal change
in colour.
The final complex has a total of 300,000
cubic metres, of which 157,000 is above
ground, divided between the base of four
floors and the narrow-elevated body with
an additional 8 floors. The building also has
20 meters underground, where the parking
garages and the deposits have been allocat-
ed, for a total of more 47,000 square meters.
The opening of the building, gatehous- The control room, [1989], Archivio storico UniCredit
es, the central surveillance and the audito-
rium were placed on the ground floor. The
auditorium was designed to host specialized
conferences, briefings, and trainings for staff.
The first three floors of the structure were
also used for the installation of real CED. The
presence of large computers imposed the
realization of architectural solutions differ-
ent from other plans. Soundproof ceilings
were installed in the structure to refract the
noise of the machinery. Particular attention
was paid to the problem of lighting the envi-
ronments, particularly in front of video ter-
minals where operators worked. For these
rooms, he opted for reflected light. The air
conditioning system was adjusted to main-
tain the temperature and constant humid-
ity so as to not damage electronic devices.
Sensors, optical cells, indicators of thermal
alterations and other surveillance technolo-
gies were scattered throughout the building A new co-working area, 2015, UniCredit Phone booth, 2015, UniCredit
to allow the operation of the IT areas and to
ensure the automatic control of technologi-
cal systems, safety and anti-crime security. rooftop was an essential part of the project; computers be replaced by mainframe and
The offices on the upper floors were also today, employees still use these terraces personal computers, which have become
equipped with soundproofed ceilings and during breaks. Credito Italian also decided more efficient and compact, the space
raised floors to conceal computer cables, an to equip the building with works of art cre- intended for the CED in the palace was
innovation which had not then been intro- ated ad hoc by some artists. Amongst them progressively reduced. This resulted in a
duced in all the offices in the city. The light- are the bronze sculpture of Franco Zazzeri, gradual rethinking of the internal struc-
ing in these areas was largely natural. For dif- entitled ‘Parallelepipedo con frattura diag- ture of the Centre Sant’Elia. With the merg-
ferent floors, prefabricated vaults were also onale’, which is located in the centre of the er that took place in the 2000s, the Group
installed, able to resist to fire for three hours main façade; and the iron wall sculpture of has had to manage a significant proper-
and preserve the storage of magnetic tapes Franca Ghitti, entitled ‘Omaggio a Sant’Elia’, ty portfolio, both in Italy and abroad. This
and documents required for daily activity. which is located in the large hall of access. required a consolidation plan of the cor-
The realization of accessible green ter- With the passing of years and the new porate offices and a consequent reduc-
races in the free areas of the lower building’s technological changes that have seen large tion in costs. In 2008, UniCredit launched

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One of the dining areas, 2015, UniCredit The workstations inside the open space, 2015, UniCredit

the so-called “town plans” by which spac- goal is to provide increasingly flexible and
es were renewed, focusing on management efficient environments, which are evenly Author profile
efficiency, greater environmental sustaina- balanced so as to support individual and
bility and adaptation to a new concept of team work but also conducive to socializing
work. The Sant’Elia Building has become and relaxation. An archivist with historical training, Franc-
one of the pilot projects in which the reor- For its structural characteristics, the esca Malvezzi reorganized the Fernando
ganization of spaces according to the prin- palace of Sant’Elia has also hosted the His- Murillo Viaña’s Archives kept at the Fon-
ciples of Smart Working is undertaken with torical Archives of the Group since 2001. dazione Feltrinelli and published several
the goal of aligning administrative work In anticipation of the increase of its doc- essays on Chilean history during the Pino-
to mobility and collaboration technolo- umentary heritage due to the entry into chet dictatorship. Currently she is an archi-
gies. As in the case of the new UniCred- the Group of other banks, some with an vist at UniCredit Historical Archives, where
it Headquarters in Milan, the renovation ancient tradition, UniCredit had to locate she also promotes the documentary herit-
moves from the more advanced structur- its historical archives in the most appro- age through the publication of essays and
al method of architecture: maximum flex- priate building in order to ensure the cor- articles related to the bank’s history.
ibility and adaptability to the changing of rect preservation of documents. Being
functional needs. The environments were designed to ensure the conservation of References
reviewed and individual rooms were almost computers and to accommodate the print- Dalla meccanizzazione all’automazione nei servizi bancari. Un
totally eliminated. The use of mobile walls ing centre, the Sant’Elia building was the esempio: il Credito italiano, Ivrea, Ing. C. Olivetti & C., 1962
that identify and demarcate workspaces perfect candidate to host the new archi- Il tempo reale nella Banca, in “La Rassegna”, a. V, n. 2, febbraio 1975
was instituted. val headquarters. The building guarantees Lawendel, Andrea, L’ufficio al seguito, ottobre 2016, http://www.
datamanager.it/2016/10/lufficio-al-seguito/
The adopted model recognizes three the presence of healthy and clean loca-
main macro areas: the workstation area, tions, equipped with apparatuses and sys- Morreale, Giampietro, Dalla Meccanografia al Tempo Reale. L’espe-
rienza pilota del Credit 1948-1978, 2004, www.museoaica.it/index.
the communication area and the function- tems that minimize the incidence of factors php?id=448
al area. The first presents the workstations of degradation or damage to documents.
Potenza, Teresa, Banche/tecnologia: Ricco (Unicredit), nuovi spa-
inside the open space but also, for example, At the same time the floors, on which the zi per lavorare e offrire consulenza interattiva, in “Il Ghirlandaio”,
rooms for activities that require silence and shelves for the storage of documents are http://www.ilghirlandaio.com/copertine/128677/banche-tecno-
logia-ricco-unicredit-nuovi-spazi-per-lavorare-e-offrire-consulen-
concentration, or co-working areas for team located, have a suitable capacity to bear the za-interattiva/
work. The communication area, instead, considerable weight of paper material. The
Vitta, Maurizio, Credito italiano: Centro Sant’Elia. Milano L’Arcae-
defines the spaces dedicated to meetings Historical Archives also have a study room dizioni, 1990
and video conferencing, providing the most open to the public in the building and offic-
advanced technologies. The functional area es where the documents are examined and
is dedicated to all the “useful” spaces includ- catalogued by the archivists.
ing personal lockers and copy centers. The

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Banque de Luxembourg
- The bank’s architectural history
Banque de Luxembourg

B
anque de Luxembourg has been
active in the private banking profession
since 1920 and is one of Luxembourg’s
leading wealth managers.
It is a key partner for enterprising individ-
uals and families, protecting their heritage for
future generations and helping them to fulfil
their plans with confidence.
As a human and civic-minded bank,
maintaining the right balance between all its
stakeholders is central to its concerns. This
means taking a responsible attitude towards
its clients, shareholders and staff, as well
as the Luxembourg community, which, for
almost a century, has given it the environ-
ment in which it has grown.
Banque de Luxembourg has an equal-
ly important responsibility when it comes Headquarters on no. 14 + 14A, boulevard Royal, Luxembourg-city
to building in the urban environment, con-
tributing to the city’s architectural wealth
and leaving a mark for future generations.
As a result, the bank has always taken a keen
interest in architecture and urban planning, Arquitectonica used a collage technique Inside the headquarters
and this is reflected in its flagship sites. with simple, consistent, overlapping forms Georges Berne’s lighting (www.8-18lum-
The bank’s headquarters at 14, Boule- for both the exterior and interior design. iere.com) illuminates the building from
vard Royal are now an integral part of the Every element of the materials, colours and within, accentuating its various shapes.
City of Luxembourg’s architectural heritage. shapes has its own role to play and produces The furniture is designed by French archi-
The building was designed by Bernardo a precise effect: tect, town planner and designer Jean-
Fort-Brescia and Laurinda Spear of the inter- • The solid mass of the black granite paral- Michel Wilmotte (www.wilmotte.com). It
nationally-acclaimed Arquitectonica firm lelogram is the bedrock of the building. plays on the Arquitectonica design themes
(www.arquitectonica.com). The original It anchors the composition at its centre and – veneers, colours, materials, square and
headquarters, built in 1994, were comple- asserts the strong foundations that reflect oval shapes – while remaining consistent
mented in 2011 by an extension to 14A, form- the bank’s solid financial structure. with the lines and curves of the exterior
ing a cohesive architectural unit. • The block of chassagne stone introduces architecture.
Inaugurated in 1994, Banque de the idea of tradition. The spacious underground car park,
Luxembourg’s headquarters feature a sim- • The gleaming, curved glass tower portrays the “Börsencafé” reception area and indi-
ple, modern design that welcomes clients the energy of an institution that is at the vidual meeting rooms are all carefully
and provides a comfortable working and liv- very forefront of its profession. designed to deliver the high-quality ser-
ing space for its employees. Two shapes (square and oval), three vice that clients should expect from a
materials (chassagne stone, granite and House of Excellence.
From the outside glass) and four colours (the black of the The meeting areas, individual desks
The bank’s headquarters occupy a strategic granite, the beige of the chassagne, the grey and open workspaces create an ideal
site in Luxembourg’s Ville Haute: the building of the tower’s structure and the blue-green working environment where the bank’s
stands on a curve of the Boulevard Royal at a of its glass) create a simple, pared-down lan- 200 employees can offer tailored services.
focal point for drivers. guage that conveys the bank’s personality.

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The garden
Created by Belgian landscape architect
Jacques Wirtz (www.wirtznv.be) and fea-
turing sculpted box trees arranged like the
spokes of a wheel with the bank at their
centre, the garden links the headquarters
to two eighteenth-century villas that stand
behind the bank (see sections on “Villa du
Parc Amélie” and “Maison Amélie”). Mak-
ing the transition between the architectural
styles of two different eras, it expresses the
strong identity and heritage of this almost
century-old institution.

The Auditorium
Two floors below Jacques Wirtz’s gardens,
the Auditorium serves as a concert hall and
a venue for conferences and debates. It reg-
ularly opens its doors to music lovers, finan- The emblematic building on boulevard Royal with its recognizable glass tower and stone façade
cial experts, architects, leaders in social
responsibility and various other visitors. This
space can hold up to 160 guests, boasts top
quality acoustics and is often used by chari-
ties supported by the bank.

Little brother
Number 14 established the bank’s reputa-
tion. 14A reinforces its image with a more
youthful, less formal spirit. In contrast to
its neighbour, it is a focal point for pedes-
trians. Its slanting façades form the angle of
a crossroads, open the building to the city
and make it accessible to passers-by.
Inaugurated in January 2012, after
an eighteen-month construction period,
the extension presented dual challeng- 14, Boulevard Royal: Symbol of Luxembourg as a financial centre
es, which were handled expertly by Arqui-
tectonica and the various building trades.
Firstly, the aesthetic of the original building
was to be complemented by an extension
whose main structure already existed when
the building was purchased by the Bank
and had to be preserved as far as possible.
Secondly, the structure needed to meet all
the requirements for the bank’s services.
As a result, the two buildings on Boulevard
Royal are united by a common architectur-
al syntax, including the limestone walls and
square windows. They reflect the city’s his-
tory and its topography: the headquarters,
with their oval tower framed in a block of
stone, refer back to Luxembourg’s historical
position as a fortress, while the extension
is inspired by nature, and especially by the
steep valleys that crisscross and surround
the city. The extension of the headquarters, inaugurated in January 2012

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LUXE M B O U RG

Reception area of the guest house Villa du Parc Amélie

The Auditorium Guest house seen from the gardens

14A is like a crystal precisely set in ground floor is an invitation to enter the and to provide social spaces like coffee
stone. This image is reinforced by the light- building. Incidentally, the supporting pil- nooks on every floor, as well as a restau-
ing – which is always hidden – and the lars, made of five layers of laminated glass, rant and a gym to enhance the well-being
striated windows, creating an impres- are both a technical masterpiece and a of the bank’s employees.
sion of light streaming out from the inte- world first. 14A is eco-friendly and economical to run.
rior. The structure extends to eight floors Its energy consumption is low, thanks to effec-
underground and six above ground, “Responsible” building tive insulation, modern heating, air-condition-
accommodating 360 employees. Employees at 14A enjoy the perfect work- ing technologies and energy-efficient work-
As it is located on the corner facing the ing environment: micro-perforated wood- stations. A green wall at ground level helps
Hamilius project, which will revamp the en panels for acoustic management; and to purify rainwater and regulate air quality
image of Boulevard Royal, it was essential a space that concentrates all the heavy as well as sheltering birds. In addition, all the
that the building would play a role in the equipment on the top floor, which is terraces are covered with a green roof, which
area’s redevelopment. Accordingly, 14A also inspired by submarines, designed with helps to reduce environmental impact while
fulfils an urban design purpose as an exten- a double hull and a floating floor screed improving heat insulation and aesthetics. The
sion of the Grand-Rue, one of the city’s main resting on shock absorbers. The architects plants are generally from an ocean environ-
shopping streets. Its luminous, all-glass also made sure to maximise natural light ment, selected for their low maintenance and

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 LUXEMBOURG

Maison Amélie, offices of Banque de Luxembourg Investments, the asset management company

The Chartroom on the ground level of the Meeting space and news corner on all floor levels, for internal use
Villa du Parc Amélie

their resistance to inclement weather. Villa du Parc Amélie Maison Amélie

The two buildings are connected by The Bank’s table d’hôte has a luxuri- This mansion, completely rebuilt in its origi-
corridors on the ground, second and fourth ous mansion style that contrasts sharply nal eighteenth-century style, is home to the
floors, in order to promote synergies and cre- with the modern headquarters. Its “chart bank’s asset management subsidiary. The
ate one efficient facility at the same address. room” on the ground floor hosts a meet- team’s skills in market analysis, securities
For employees, it creates a “campus” effect, ing space dedicated to the economic and selection and fund management determine
while clients benefit from full access on a sin- financial lessons of the past. Individual the bank’s long-term investment strategy,
gle site to all the expertise required by their lounges on three floors provide the per- which is regularly singled out for awards by
family and wealth situation: business, tax fect place to meet over dishes prepared international ratings agencies.
and legal specialists as well as the credit and by a devoted chef.
business services teams. All Images - © Fernando Guerra

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PORT U GA L

Caixa Geral de Depósitos

an architectural language
Joaquim Pombo Gonçalves & Helena Real Gomes

I
ts ability to adjust to the continuous
evolution of the services provided,
by taking into consideration custom-
ers’ requirements, is one of the main char-
acteristics of the immovable property of
Caixa Geral de Depósitos (CGD).
It is within this context that we would
like to give you the background of the
bank’s branch buildings, the creation of
which was defined in the CGD Founda-
tion Charter (1876). The management of
the premises required numerous alter-
ations and the planning and implemen-
tation of projects in accordance with the
political guidelines covering their finan-
cial activity.
The initial basic objectives of the
national development of a network of
branches in new premises were: to gath-
er and administer capital from the State
or managed by organisations assigned
to it (required securities); and the prox- Santa Comba Dão Branch, Public Room, Treasurer, no date (CGD-GPH)
imity of the institution to the pub-
lic due to the extension of the func-
tions of the CGD (with the creation Historical background that the provisions governing deposits
of the Caixa Económica Portuguesa and territorial coverage would be successively applied to all of the
(CEP) in 1880 and the Casa de Crédito In the Charter of 10 April 1876 the instal- mainland and islands. The CGD administra-
Popular (CCP) in 1918. lation of the branches was established at tion was responsible for the establishment
In this regard, legislative guidelines national level, which would function in of the services in the delegations and pro-
were created that increased the scope the central banks of the districts on main- moting a gradual decentralisation. These
of the mission assigned to CGD, name- land Portugal, adjacent islands (21 Novem- tasks were to be carried out by consider-
ly functions traditionally assigned to the ber 1885) and in post offices1. As a finan- ing: the business practice and the stability
Public Credit Board - Junta de Crédi- cial institution it was to receive all deposits of operations but also the convenience and
to Público (that was losing institutional in cash, valuables in gold, silver and pre- interest of the locations.
importance) and the Banco de Portugal cious metals, and credit notes, which, by With the creation of the CEP in 1880,
(that was losing its commercial status and way of legislation in force at the time, were the CGD secured voluntary deposits by way
taking on the functions of a central bank). of the responsibility of the Lisbon and Opor- of small savings. This reflected a greater
This resulted in the creation of internal to public deposits departments, and of any effectiveness of the network of delegations
norms that sought to adjust the services to legal trustee in other councils. and the way in which they provided a guar-
growing responsibilities. This policy of territorial coverage was antee for this new service as well as their
This was achieved by showing similar reflected in the Provisional Regulation of installation in every council in the country
characteristics in the main buildings, seek- the Institution (December 1876). It set out (in 1909 there were 42 delegations). Anoth-
ing a common pattern in the architectural er far-reaching measure was the creation of
lines and by organising the indoor spaces 1 Regulamento Provisório para a Caixa Geral de Depósitos, delegations in the working-class districts of
“Carta de Lei de 10 de Abril de 1876”, Emprensa Nacional,
in relation to the services provided. Lisboa, 1877, p. 4. Lisbon and Oporto, as well as the creation

66 bulletin | 2017
 PORTUGAL

of a subsidiary in Lisbon at the centre of its

trade movements.
The progressive autonomy of the
Caixa was maintained as a guideline, in
accordance with Decree-Law no. 4670, of
14 July 1918, where it set out that the CGD
shall establish subsidiaries, delegations or
branches with its own Caixa staff, wherev-
er it considers it necessary2. This reduced
the need of having to share with entities
that had different services and functions
in the banking sector.
Another service that the CGD incorpo-
rated as of 1918 was the CCP. It aimed at
providing loans on pledges, the main pur-
pose of which was to moderate and regu-
late the profits arising from pawn broking.
The reform of 1929 introduced impor-
tant alterations to the nature and func-
tioning of the CGD. It also created the
Caixa Nacional de Crédito (to grant agri-
cultural and industrial credit) and the
Caixa Nacional de Previdência (for civ-
il service retirement), which later came
to be called the Caixa Geral de Depósitos,
Crédito e Previdência (CGDCP).
Therefore the organisational reform of
1929 was the main driver for the building
of property in order to install subsidiaries
and branches and simultaneously to con-
solidate their functions as a credit institu-
tion. These were supervised by the Finance
Ministry (Dr. Oliveira Salazar).
With the Organic Law of 1969, the Caixa
Nacional de Crédito ceased to be a connect-
ed institution and was incorporated into
the CGD which took over its functions.
At the same time, the CGD Regula-
tion of 31 December 1970 determined that Guarda Subsidiary, by architect Luis Cristino da Silva, 1942 (CGD-GPH)
there would be subsidiaries and branches
with categories established in accordance
with the importance of the community in
which they operated. Services were classi- CGDCP Architecture – a national language of 82 buildings on mainland Portugal and
fied as indispensable by the CGD Manage- In the early 1930s, the projects promoted to adjacent islands.
ment Board, depending on the number and construct the CGDCP buildings possessed Up to 1942 the responsibility of the defi-
value of the transactions carried out. characteristics similar to the architectur- nition of the projects for the CGDCP buildings
As the CGD asserted itself in the bank- al trends of the International Style adopt- belonged to the institution, by way of its pro-
ing sector with the growing development ed in Europe. The idea was to develop a fessional staff or by hiring independent archi-
of its services, its operations in different national orientation by adopting elements tects. The services initially occupied their own
administrative structures were inefficient, of Portuguese constructive architecture with buildings or rented from official or private
time-consuming and transmitted little con- traits of Modernism. entities and were adapted according to local
fidence to the depositors. This situation In the period between the 1929 Reform requirements. It was up to the management
led to the need to build premises that were and the Organic Law of 1969 21 subsidiaries board to establish the guidelines of the works
appropriate to the services provided. and 61 branches were built from scratch for to be carried out based on the information of
the CGDCP. This represented a huge national the managers of the agencies, to whom were
2 Diário do Governo nº 159, Série I, de 18 de julho de 1918. building programme and resulted in a total given the responsibility to monitor and report

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PORT U GA L

Leiria Subidiary, by architect Luis Cristino da Silva, 1942 (CGD-GPH)

on the development of the works defined by From 1942, and as a result of a policy to embody internal organisation (laws
the works and buildings section. in which public works were centralised, the and regulations), functional organisation
The assessment of the state of repair Caixa Geral de Depósitos, Crédito e Previdên- (through specified projects) and aesthetic
of the buildings of the network of agencies cia Administrative Works Commission (CAOC- organisation (in the adoption of historicist
was the responsibility of CGD professionals, GDCP) was created in which all the respon- and modernist elements).
who allowed the works to be carried out so sibility concerning decision-making and The existence of an innovative architec-
as to modify the areas and infrastructures execution of all the CGDCP buildings was vest- tural model denoting an obvious influence
to the requirements of the services. Repairs ed. Engineer Duarte Pacheco, the then Minis- of the “modern movement” can be seen
would be undertaken when the level of ter of Public Works and Communications, in the buildings designed for CGDCP until
deterioration required it; or when a specif- established the composition and definition of 1936. The buildings’ horizontally wide win-
ic area of the premises was not amenable this Commission. dows, almost total absence of any type of
to the quality of the services to be provid- The result of this national revolutionary decoration, geometric volumes employed,
ed; or when it was necessary to return the policy in public works impacted a planned, asymmetric composition and, sometimes,
premises to the owner of the building. Inter- well-structured and periodically analysed a reinforced concrete terrace3 reflect this
ventions were carried out on a case-by-case activity in administrative and financial terms. architectural trend.
basis, the execution of which conferred The image adopted by the CGD-
artistic licence to the responsible architect, CP reflected the modernisation pro- 3 BRITES, Joana Rita da Costa, Arquitectura da CGDCP, Filiais e
who then had to take costs and deadlines cess known as “Modernising National- Agências da Caixa Geral de Depósitos Crédito e Previdência,
1929-1970, Prosafeita : Lisboa, 2014, ISBN 978-972-95869-7-2, p.
into consideration. ism”. Modernising Naitonalism sought 240.

68 bulletin | 2017
 PORTUGAL

oval windows and back façades) with the adop-

tion of regionalist and / or historicist elements
(e.g. chimneys and eaves, Portuguese-style
tiles, Pombaline-like pyramidal turrets, and
rows of decorative modillions, weathercocks
and armillary spheres). The union of these con-
structive groups, under the responsibility of the
architect, António Veloso Reis Camelo, domi-
nated new projects and remodelling plans from
1942 until 1948.
In the period between 1948 and 1959,
there was a significant increase in build-
ing (33 buildings). CAOCGDCP standard-
ised a building model developed through-
out the whole country for all projects. It was
characterised by the adoption of a classical
trend of regular and austere construction,
with framed openings. The regionalist ele-
ments were eliminated; only the rigour pro-
jected in the chimneys and decoration by
way of wrought iron railings protecting the
ground floor windows were kept. In addi-
tion to the visible classical elements present
in the buildings, there was an implicit stand-
ard-type of representation of power by way
of the assertion of a language of order, disci-
pline and solidity, which was very appropri-
ate for public and private banking activity.

CGDCP Building - Typology

A standard installation programme was estab-
lished that imposed a standard on CGD build-
ings, the spatial organisation of which main-
tained fundamental elements for close to 40
Faro Subsidiary, by architect António Reis Camelo, 1952 (CGD-GPH) years. Preferably, the building would be locat-
ed on a prominent corner of the town, allow-
ing the public access to the services in accord-
This architectural model is part of a spirit of and context. It sought to construct a mod- ance with their requirements. Therefore, the
modernisation inherent to the construction ern building that would translate the local main entrance to the CEP building should be
of the CGDCP branches. The Management aspects through regionalist elements: the located at the most visible and uncongest-
Board and its architects wished to adopt references to regional (e.g. Portalegre Sub- ed point, as well as the point with the best
this model by way of a type of building that sidiary) arts and crafts; and national ele- access. On the other hand, the CCP entrance
would be common to all agencies that were ments, such as the historicist elements com- should be further away from the main façade
to be built after that date (e.g. the use on the mon to many agencies (armillary sphere). in a quieter street, as people with financial dif-
main façade in most subsidiaries and agen- With the formation of the CAOCGDCP in ficulties who wanted loans on pledges would
cies of the “national shield” symbol). 1943, an assessment of on-going projects was use it. Associated with this entrance, the interi-
After 1936, the institution began to undertaken which resulted in an adaptation or of the building would be defined according
hire independent architects, not connected of a standard-type programme. In fact, of the to the bank’s own provisos that would allow
with the works and buildings section. This 24 branches assessed, 20 were carried out in for these transactions to be carried out in indi-
resulted in the emergence of projects that accordance with the regionalist and / or histor- vidual cells with no communication between
put an end to the linear course of the aes- icist model; 3 followed the international-type them (“booths for the shamefaced”). When
thetic model that had been followed until model and 1 revealed a sober and stand- different access to the two services referred
then. What distinguishes the architecture ard-type language that became more wide- to above was not guaranteed, the success of
of this period is the adoption of contempo- spread in the 1950s. the branch would be compromised given the
rary construction but, at the same time, one Until 1948 a mixture of architectural ele- socio-economic background of the public that
that was adapted to the local environment ments had been lent to the modern model (e.g. used the CGD (CEP and CCP) services.

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PORT U GA L

With particular regard to the organisa-

tion of the space in the design of the Caixa
buildings, there was a significant preoccupa-
tion regarding the relationship between the
way the services operated and interacted.
The ground floor was always used for
the same purpose:
• The CEP branch (required securities). In
order to provide this service it was nec-
essary to have: an office and a treasury,
known as the “public room” (only 1/3 of
that space was intended for the public),
which were separated by a counter; a back
office with no contact with the public; a
manager’s office; WCs and cloakrooms for
the staff; and, whenever possible, a private
WC for the manager.
• The archives and vault, with two cham-
bers (inner – with two keys, one kept by the
manager and the other kept by the treas-
urer; outer – a key kept by the manager).
These compartments could also be situat-
ed in the basement depending on the con-
ditions of the existing space.
• If possible, there could also be an area to
lease safes;
• An office for inspectors and an ‘extra room’;
• The medical panel services with their
own entrance (within the scope of Caixa
Geral de Aposentações);
• The CCP, with private access, was divided
into four areas: a public room and auctions
equipped with “booths for the shamefaced”,
which were dedicated to loans servic-
es. These were situated in such a way that
access to them would be private, thus allow-
ing for their isolation; the vault with a single Oporto Subsidiary, by architect Porfírio Pardal Monteiro, 1931 (CGD-GPH)
chamber to store pawned objects and valu-
ables; WCs and cloakrooms for staff; and a
storeroom for pawned objects, which was The CGDCP branches are a focus of inter- public, was confined to a glass office because he
open to both staff and public areas. est in terms of architecture but also due to the handled money).
The upper floor was used to accommo- requirement of determining specific areas to In the 1960s, there was a change in the
date the manager, by way of a rent, depend- be able to supervise everything that goes on project guidelines of new CGDCP buildings
ing on the area available, without preju- inside them. Hierarchically defined, the physi- (11 branches). The linear trend of the 1950s
dice to the installation of the services. It cal area was organised as a pyramid where the was abandoned, thus allowing the authors
had direct access to the street, with its own “top” of the building belonged to the manag- to use their creativity and the right to imbue
water and electricity meters; these were er, the person who centralised the manage- a personal touch. Also, in the distribution
divided into three different areas: ment of the branch. In the area immediate- of the functional areas of the branches,
• A reception (a dining room, living-room or ly following were the staff who, in turn, were there were significant alterations; namely,
study); superior to the level below, where the pub- in the increased number of floors intend-
• Domestic or service areas (a kitch- lic could be found. This was exemplified by ed for lease and / or accommodation. This
en, pantry, coal room, maid’s room and the existence of a platform behind the coun- brought about the elimination of the bal-
bathroom); ter that placed the bank employee above the ance between the public building and the
• The private areas (a sewing room or level of the public, appearing as a symbol of functional residence, resulting in the image
storage room, three bedrooms and a authority. Specifically, it was the treasurer of a building for lease with the banking
bathroom). who, because he was in direct contact with the activity on the ground floor. However, the

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subsidiaries situated in the district capitals

maintained a model representing an image
of firmness and security that the institution
always wanted to show.
At the same time, during this decade
(1960), the enhancement of the regional lan-
guage was sought by setting the building
within the environment in a revivalism of the
international style model adopted in 1936. It
reflected the stylisation of patterns adopted
in the ‘Old Regime’. However, this common
denominator suffered a “shift” or change
during the transition to the 1970s. From
that time onward there was a greater con-
cern about how the user of the branch was
seen. There was concern with giving the user
personalised treatment, contrary to the uni-
form and standardised approach: the pub-
lic took on the role of “customer” and the
bank employee that of the “account man- Oporto Subsidiary, by architect Porfírio Pardal Monteiro, Entrance Hall, 1931 (CGD-GPH)
ager”. Subsequently, this close relationship
with the customer would be strengthened
through the appearance of IT that would
spread in the 1980s (e.g. the first ATMs). which had been carried out since the 1929 Abbreviations and acronyms
The Caixa Geral de Depósitos (thus reform with responsibilities assigned to dif- CAOCGDCP Administrative Works
called since 1993) promoted the remodel- ferent entities, sought to maintain an eco- Commission of the Caixa Geral de
ling of its branches in the early 1990s. It also nomic rigour and standardisation of aes- Depósitos, Crédito e Previdência
sought to standardise its image, giving it a thetic options in each one of the periods
contemporary layout. referred to. The intention, regardless of the CCP Casa de Crédito Popular
powers that be, was always to develop a pol-
Final considerations icy to assert the security, trust and solidity CEP Caixa Económica Portuguesa
In this work, we endeavour to chronolog- of the CGD.
ically address the evolution of the most CGD Caixa Geral de Depósitos
striking characteristics of the buildings in
which the CGD branches were housed. It CGDCP Caixa Geral de Depósito,
was therefore necessary to provide the his- Authors’ profile Crédito e Previdência
torical background of the complex relation-
ship of the institution in terms of both space Joaquim Pombo Gonçalves Bibliography
and time. With the appearance of different Graduated in History at the Arts Faculty of BRITES, Joana Rita da Costa, Arquitectu-
services it became urgent to adopt effective Lisbon University (FLUL) in 2008; Post-grad- ra da CGDCP, Filiais e Agências da Caixa
solutions that would perpetuate the func- uation in Sciences of Documentation and Geral de Depósitos Crédito e Previdência,
tions that the Caixa was developing, namely Information – Archives by FLUL in 2015; Mas- 1929-1970, Prosafeita : Lisboa, 2014, ISBN
its credit vocation. ter’s in Sciences of Documentation and Infor- 978-972-95869-7-2.
Subsequently, the buildings reflected mation by FLUL in 2016; Senior Official at the
a dynamic that the institution represented Historical Heritage Office (GPH) of Caixa Ger- Diário do Governo nº 159, Série I, de
as a response to the growing requirements al de Depósitos. 18 de julho. [Em linha], Lisboa [Con-
associated with the services provided. These sult. 24Mar.2016]. Disponível em
resulted from the modernisation of bank- Helena Real Gomes WWW:URL:http://www.leideportugal.com/
ing sector activity. If initially the location of Graduated in History at the Universidade diario-primeira-serie/1918-07-18.
the branches was the result of a policy of Lusíada de Lisboa (ULL) in 1998; Post-grad-
expansion and national coverage, in subse- uation in Museology and Heritage by ULL Gabinete de Património Histórico – Arquivo
quent periods it was the object of political, in 1999; Post-graduation in Documenta- Histórico, Regulamento Provisório para a Caixa
financial and socio-cultural decision-mak- ry Sciences – Archives by the Universidade Geral de Depósitos, “Carta de Lei de 10 de Abril
ing manoeuvres that influenced the archi- Autónoma de Lisboa (UAL) in 2004; Senior de 1876”, Emprensa Nacional, Lisboa, 1877.
tectural characteristics of the buildings. The Archives Official at the Historical Heritage
policy decision to construct new buildings, Office (GPH) of the Caixa Geral de Depósitos All images: © CGD-GPH

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Banco Santander building at

9-10 and 11-12 Paseo de Pereda
Teresa Gómez León

O
ne of the sights most often pho-
tographed by tourists visiting our
city is without a doubt the Banco
Santander Building. This monumental struc-
ture has posed for thousands of postcards
and travel guide photos, along with other
major buildings such as Magdalena Palace,
the lighthouse on Cape Mayor, the Town Hall
and Santander Cathedral.
In fact, the Banco Santander Building
is situated in one of the most beautiful and
busiest parts of the city, at 9-10 and 11-12
Paseo de Pereda street, formerly known as
Muelle de Calderón.
The building’s location facing the sea
reminds us that in the mid-19th century,
Santander’s economic development was
based on the regular maritime trade with the
American colonies. This was made possible Numbers 9 and 10 linked by the triumphal arch to 11 and 12 Paseo de Pereda, current headquarters
by two extremely important elements: the of Banco Santander. Juan José Pérez (PERSAN). Banco de Santander, 2 de marzo de 1968, Colección
rail line which at that time linked the Can- PERSAN, Centro de Documentación de la Imagen de Santander, CDIS, Ayuntamiento de Santander
tabrian city with the inland area of the pen-
insula; and the port, whose efficiency, and
especially its natural, protected site by the Banco de Santander first opened its doors on of Comillas, submitted the documents for
bay, strengthened the heavy traffic with not the morning of 20 August 1857, and although the reconstruction of the affected lot to the
only the Americas, but also Europe. The quay there are no sources corroborating the pre- Santander Works Commission.4 The plans
became the epicentre of the regional econo- cise location, everything seems to indi- were drawn up by the famous Catalan
my, and above all, the transformation of the cate that the firm’s first headquarters occu- architect, José Oriol Mestre.
city, which was modernizing rapidly. pied the corner of the building now known The design submitted showed a build-
From their offices behind the large win- as Palacio de Pombo, located between ing in an eclectic style made up of a ground
dows of the building mezzanine overlook- Calle Martillo and Calle Ataúlfo Argenta, floor plus four upper storeys. The vertical-
ing Paseo de Pereda, the principal ship- previously Calle Colosía.2 ity of the main façade is signalled by three
ping agents controlled all loading and From this date in 1857 until April 1923, sets of enclosed balconies, one at either side
unloading operations for the steamships, Banco de Santander moved as many as sev- and one in the centre. Other noteworthy ele-
whose merchandise was then transported en times before settling in the building it cur- ments include the monumental entrance
inland by rail. rently occupies.3 crowned by a voussoir arch and wrought
In this atmosphere of prosperity, a The history of Banco Santander’s cur- ironwork. The horizontality is expressed by
select group of men with ties to the business rent headquarters began after a fire which the balconies and the large windows on the
world met at the Board of Trade one morning occurred on the night of 6 October 1880. ground floor. The eclectic language takes
in January 1856. They had come together to The fire destroyed the residences at 11 and the form of modillions, vases, pilasters,
solve the credit needs and growing demand 12 Muelle de Calderón, which housed the Corinthian columns, garlands and cast iron
for methods of payment resulting from the famous Café Suizo and Círculo de Recreo. sculptures flanking the central balcony.
increasing import and export activity. The Several months later, on 2 August 1881, Edu- No sooner had the building been com-
result was the founding of a bank of issue ardo Pérez de la Riva, representative of Clau- pleted than a report was submitted to the
which would take its name from their city.1 dio López y López, brother of the Marquis Santander works department in November

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Plans by José Oriol Mestre, A.M.S. leg. G-83 no. 13

1892. It was prepared by municipal architect

Valentín Ramón Lavín Casalís, who, togeth-
er with architect Casimiro Pérez de la Riva,
examined the stone corbels, imposts, cor-
nices, brackets and projections with the aim
of finding a solution to the surface fractures
and defects which were causing small piec-
es to fall off. A solution had to be found in
order to guarantee the safety of foot traf-
fic. According to this report by the munici- Building by José Oriol Mestre. 1881 Plans for refurbishment of the basement,
pal architect,5 the cause was the low resist- ground floor and mezzanine. A.M.S. leg. F-33
ance to the freezing of the stone used on the
building, which came from the Boñar quar-
ries in León. Among the solutions proposed established a new company headquarters basement, ground floor and mezzanine.
by the municipal architect was replacement appropriate to the increasing importance The facility plan was drawn up by architect
of the stone projections with higher quality of its business. And so Banco de Santand- Ricardo Bastida. The report proposes knock-
materials; keeping the balconies, but replac- er purchased the building from Eusebio ing down all the interior partition walls on
ing the stone corbels with others within an López y Díaz de Quijano, nephew of Anto- the lower floors and mezzanine, disman-
iron framework; and covering the floor with nio López y López, the Marquis of Comillas, tling the staircase, adding sills and grilles
zinc sheets. The architect also rejected the for the amount of one million pesetas. The to the ground floor wall openings, breaking
use of ancillary elements and metal staples sale was finalized in a deed signed on 1 Sep- through the horizontal structures necessary
intended solely to prevent large pieces from tember 1919, through the personal interven- to make room for new staircases, replacing
coming loose, as this was not the problem tion of Banco de Santander Chairman Emil- the exterior enclosed balconies on the north
in this case. He also recommended that the io Botín y López.6 A few months later, on façade with windows, and deepening and
stone be checked periodically. From 1919, 9 March 1920, the company’s director repairing the basement. The safety deposit
the history of this building at 11 and 12 of requested authorization from the Santand- boxes and safe for the bank’s use were placed
what was then Muelle de Calderón street has er works department to expand the offices. in the basement, between concrete and rein-
forever been tied to the history of Banco de The report signed by Valentín Lavín del forced cement walls. The main entrance on
Santander. This was when, in response to Noval, the municipal architect, presents a Paseo de Pereda led to the ground floor,
the growing need for more space, the bank radical transformation of the layout of the where there was now a spacious central

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a result, the volume of business increased,

forcing the bank to once again expand its
facilities in Paseo de Pereda. The process of
moving the residents out began in 1945 and
took some time. This delayed the acquisi-
tion of the appropriate renovation permit for
the interior to adapt the building to the new
functions and needs required by the com-
pany.11 In relation to this, in March 1947, an
application in the name of Julio Soler Jover,
representative of Banco de Santander, was
submitted to the works department. The
application concerned the refurbishment of
the ground, first and second floors of the build-
ing. The report prepared by Javier González
de Riancho planned to ‘completely remodel
only the layout of the second storey, which at
the time was divided into two residences. They
were eliminated, creating a new layout, with
the board room, various offices for the account-
ing department and branch management, lav-
atories and bathrooms’.12 The first floor was
rearranged to create space for the stock mar-
ket section and offices for the company law-
yers. Lavatories were installed on the ground
A.M.S. leg. G-304 no. 25 (unpublished plans) floor and in corresponding locations on the
upper floors.13
But the most important alterations
lobby surrounded by various rooms sepa- two residences to be used by the caretak- which changed the appearance and person-
rated by wood and glass screens, and divid- ers. They included three bedrooms, a living ality of the 1881 building were made dur-
ers. These were used for the offices which and dining room, a kitchen and a bathroom, ing the expansion project. This project cre-
required greater contact with the public, ‘with direct light and ventilation provided by ated the corporate building we see today.
such as the accounts office and cashier’s new dormer windows’.9 It was the result of the ongoing development
desk. Two staircases were installed on the In January 1942, the final plans for refur- and expansion of Banco de Santander, which
ground floor, in the northeast and northwest bishment of the main façade – this time designed needed to accommodate new staff and facil-
corners. The first flight of steps was made of by architect Pedro Mugurza – were submitted ities. To this end, on 24 December 1951, Emil-
marble. On the mezzanine were workspac- to the same Santander works department. io Botín Sanz de Sautuola López, the com-
es and offices which required more privacy The report proposes the removal of the pany chairman, submitted a request to the
(such as those for managers and secretar- three sets of wooden enclosed balconies city to expand the corporate building, ‘with
ies), the meeting room and the board room.7 due to aesthetic reasons as well as to pre- a view more to the most noble and patriot-
When work was completed, the official vent possible fires which might put the rest ic interest of enhancing the city to which we
opening of Banco de Santander headquar- of the building in danger. The work was car- are all indebted, rather than in its own’.14
ters took place on 31 March 1923 in the pres- ried out in ‘the simplest and most economi- The plans were commissioned from Javier
ence of the relevant local and ecclesiastical cal way, keeping the existing wall openings, González de Riancho,15 who made provision
authorities, along with Emilio Botín y López, which contain the enclosed balconies, and for tearing down the residences at 9 and 10
chairman of the board. adding ledges on both sides and decoration Paseo de Pereda. These were located next to
This 1921 refurbishment was followed above the central balcony. These details pro- the corporate building to the west and pur-
by two smaller upgrades. Based on plans by vided the whole with the feeling of a public chased by the bank in 1946, in order to build
the architect Javier Gónzalez de Riancho8 building, rather than the residential struc- an identical building on the site, with the
and approved by the city works department ture it is today’.10 same arrangement of floors and façades. The
on 13 March 1936, they consisted of replac- In fact, part of the building was at that novel element was that the two sections of
ing the three sets of wooden enclosed balco- time occupied by residents, the Regatta Club the building would become one. They would
nies on the main façade. headquarters and by a residential hotel run be linked by a ‘grand arch which, without less-
According to the report, the other refur- by Doña Paquita. When Banco Mercantil was ening the importance of the street separating
bishment by the same architect consisted of taken over by Banco de Santander in 1946, them, lends the whole a monumental char-
dividing up part of the upper floor to create new branches were opened to the public. As acter comparable to the finest buildings in

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the great foreign cities, where it is possible to

admire those true triumphal arches leading to
squares, large roads through public buildings
from different centuries’.16 The arch extends
the width of Calle Marcelino Sanz de Sautu-
ola. According to the report, it measures 11
metres and 30 centimetres, while its height
to the keystone is 14 metres. ‘The architectur-
al composition is in the classic style for such
arches, with an entablature divided by two
pilasters with a central motif, which could be
no other than the coat of arms of Santander.
Above this entablature is a Greek-style attic
crowned by four large marble or stone statues
representing the Arts, Agriculture, Commerce
and Navigation. Below there is a large frieze
in high relief depicting the bank, protecting
industry, blast furnaces, mining, sports and
various elements making up life and national
and international interests.17 The most impor-
tant idea, which the company chairman suc-
ceeded in expressing, was that of beautify-
ing the city, giving it a monumental building
which was also worthy of presiding over the
bank’s different buildings already scattered
throughout Spain’s major cities’.18 A.M.S. leg. G-304 no. 25 (unpublished plans)

Sources References
1 HOYO APARICIO, Andrés. De comerciantes y para comerciantes.
Author profile Banco Santander Historical Archives (AHBS) El Banco de Santander, 1857-1874. Editorial de la Universidad
Santander Municipal Archives (A.M.S.) de Cantabria. Santander, 2015. p. 27–35
2 SAN EMETERIO, José Higinio. Banco Santander, apuntes para
Santander Image Archive la historia. Revista El Santander no. 7, August 1988, p. 25–28
Teresa Gómez León holds a doctorate in 3 GÓMEZ LEÓN, Teresa. A history of the headquarters of Banco
Santander. Architecture and Finance Bulletin. eabh The Europe-
history of architecture and urban planning Bibliography an Association for Banking and Financial History e.V. Frankfurt
from the Universitá degli Studi di Firen- MARTÍN-ACEÑA, Pablo. 1857-2007. Ban- am Main, Germany, 2016. p. 123–126
4 A.M.S. leg. G-83 no. 13
ze and a doctorate from the Universidad co Santander 150 años de historia. Grupo 5 A.M.S. leg. G-91 no. 52
de Cantabria. She has a master’s in cultur- Santander. Madrid, 2007. 6 AHBS. D4489-10 Board of Directors minutes book, 30-6-1919.
AHBS. D4489-178 Board of Directors minutes book, 14-8-1919.
al management from the Université libre MORALES SARO, María Cruz. Javier González AHBS. D4489-179 Board of Directors minutes book, 1-9-1919
de Bruxelles and a bachelor’s in art histo- de Riancho (1881-1953): arquitecto. Cole- 7 A.M.S. leg. F-330 no. 21
8 A.M.S. leg. G-304 no. 25
ry from the Universidad de Les Illes Balears. gio Oficial de Arquitectos de Cantabria. 9 A.M.S. leg. G-304 no. 51
She has worked in educational services at Santander, 1983. 10 A.M.S. leg. G-304 no. 25
11 MARTÍN-ACEÑA, Pablo. Op. cit. p. 164
the Royal Museums of Art and History, Brus- RODRIGO Y ALHARILLA, Martín. Los 12 A.M.S. leg. G-19 no. 32
sels, coordinating projects to improve the marqueses de Comillas 1817-1925. Antonio 13 A.M.S. leg. G-19 no. 32
14 A.M.S. leg. I-17 no. 26
permanent collections. Teresa has also y Claudio López. LID Editorial Empresarial, 15 MORALES SARO, María Cruz. Javier González de Riancho (1881-
managed temporary exhibitions at both S.L. Madrid, 2000. 1953): arquitecto. Colegio Oficial de Arquitectos de Cantabria.
Santander, 1983
the Universidad degli Studi di Firenze and SAN EMETERIO, José Higinio. Banco 16 A.M.S. leg. I-17 no. 26
Colegio de Empresistas de Cantabria. She is Santander, apuntes para la historia. Revista 17 A.M.S. leg. I-17 no. 26
18 A.M.S. leg. I-17 no. 26
currently employed at the Banco Santand- El Santander no. 7. August 1988
er Historical Archives as an administrative SAZATORNIL RUIZ, Luis. MANJÓN
assistant, hired by the Uceif Foundation. RODRÍGUEZ, Alodia Lorena. Arquitectura
y Urbanismo en la época de la Ilustración.
Catálogo del Patrimonio Cultural de Can-
tabria. Tomo III.

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The branches of Banco de España

buildings and architects
Elena Serrano

T
he Banco de España was originally the
Banco de San Carlos, founded by Royal
Charter on 2 June 1782. Due to a varie-
ty of circumstances, the Banco de España had
to move its Madrid headquarters several times.
However, in 1891, the Bank found its defini-
tive location, where it constructed the current
building in Paseo del Prado, to which several
extensions were later added (most recently in
2005), transforming it into the building it occu-
pies today.
The Banco de España began to expand
territorially in 1874, establishing its branch
network. It already had two branches in the
eastern coastal cities of Valencia and Ali-
cante, which had been set up in 1858 follow-
ing the enactment of the 1856 Law on Banks
of Issue. The circulation of notes and coins by Valladolid branch, 1877. Archivo Banco de España
a single bank was established by decree on 19
March 1874, granting the Banco de España the
monopoly on issuing banknotes for the entire Europe (Paris, London and Berlin) and three in monopoly decree. The Palma building, com-
nation, and replacing the system of various North Africa (Tangiers, Larache and Tétouan). missioned by the Banco Balear to the archi-
banks of issue which had been in place in Spain This extended the territorial presence of the tect Miguel Rigo y Clar in 1872, was completed
since 1856. Bank to seventy six locations. In contrast, the in 1880, when the Banco de España acquired it.
Its new role as a single issuer gave rise to process of closing down branches and agen- Interestingly, the Palma de Mallorca building,
major changes, notably two of an architectural cies, which commenced in 1960 with the in Calle de San Bartolomé, continues to be the
nature: the construction of the current building North African agencies, gradually continued branch office in that city, which makes it unique
in Paseo del Prado to accommodate the new until 2011. As a result, only fifteen branches in the history of the branches. These have gen-
services required by the monopoly; and the remain open today. erally changed premises at least once, twice or
establishment of a nationwide branch network The search for buildings to house the even three times. In the cities where the Banco
(whose primary role was to distribute bank- first branches became a priority in the final de España did not merge with the local bank, or
notes) which was to lead to the construction quarter of the 19th century and gave rise to a had no interest in its building, it opted to rent
of new buildings throughout Spain. As early wealth of interesting correspondence between buildings that were well suited to the needs of a
as 1874, twelve branches were set up in twelve the first branch directors and the Governor, in bank, and then embarked on interior remodel-
cities, marking the start of a period of strong which they not only weighed up the advantag- ling projects from which plans and drawings of
expansion that continued until the turn of the es and disadvantages of the buildings, but also great interest have survived to the present day.
century. This brought the number of branches assessed the areas in the cities most suited to The Banco de España soon began con-
to fifty eight. The trend continued into the new business development. This made the collec- structing its own branch buildings, and was
century, albeit at a lesser pace, and peaked in tion of letters an interesting source of informa- thus able to adapt the design to its operation-
1957, with the opening of the Ceuta branch. tion about local life in those cities. al needs. However, it was not until the main
The total number was now seventy branch- Some of the early branch buildings of headquarters in Paseo del Prado, Madrid,
es, which had been established over a peri- 1874 had belonged to issuing banks such were built in 1883 that the idea of designing
od of one hundred years, from 1858 to 1957. as Malaga, San Sebastian, Seville, Valladol- and distributing space to respond to opera-
Additionally, six agencies were opened outside id or Palma de Mallorca, which merged with tional needs took hold. Indeed, when estab-
Spain between 1902 and 1920, three of them in the Banco de España following the issuance lishing the bases for the construction of the

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Almería branch, 1902. Archivo Banco de España

building, the works commission, together with branch building designed by Romualdo de was not only responsible for the construction
the Bank’s architects, Eduardo de Adaro and Madariaga. of the main headquarters, but also for a num-
Severiano Sainz de la Lastra, gathered infor- After the construction of the first Vallad- ber of remodelling projects and new buildings
mation from the heads of the different areas olid building, the Bank resorted less and less for many of the branches which, as we have
of the Bank: about the needs of each office; the to renting. It began to construct new build- already seen, began to be opened at a brisk
space required; the interactions between offic- ings, seeking to create its own, specific design pace in 1874. Noteworthy are Burgos (1898),
es; the more or less direct interrelations; and, in from the outset and thus to avoid adaptations Pontevedra (1900), Huesca (1902) or Logroño
particular, about public service needs1. At the which were no more than temporary arrange- (1905), all of great architectural beauty and
time, no prototype bank building had yet been ments until better and more definitive solu- closely resembling the Madrid building with
designed to respond to a set of needs, and tions were found. In the years that followed, regard to the more functional aspects. In addi-
until then, the Bank had occupied buildings new buildings were constructed, each one with tion, Adaro undertook the remodelling of a
that had not been designed for their intended its own and particular style, evidencing the number of rented buildings, the plans for which
use and functions. The fundamental change nonexistence of a unique and defined mod- have survived to this day and are of great inter-
in architectural trends of the last third of the el. Examples from that period are San Sebas- est. José María Aguilar Vela, who had joined in
19th century took place precisely when build- tian (1881, Severiano Sainz de la Lastra), Bilbao 1884 to replace Sainz de la Lastra, played an
ings began to be planned on the basis of their (1883, Sabino de Goicoechea) or Segovia (1893, important role in the Madrid construction pro-
intended functions. The form, while still essen- José María Aguilar Vela). The period marked ject, and in that of several branches, such
tial, began to follow the function. the start of a very prolific building process that as Segovia (1893), which was unfortunate-
The Valladolid building, in Calle Duque de can be said to be still ongoing. ly demolished in 1949 to be replaced by a
la Victoria, planned in 1877 by Pedro Martín- From the mid-19th century, if not earlier, new building.
ez Sangrós, was the first to be purpose-built the Bank had architects on its staff. Severiano José de Astiz Bárcena joined in 1898, and
by the Banco de España. This transpired a few Sainz de la Lastra joined the Bank in 1859 and his first building, the Palencia branch in Calle
years before the Madrid headquarters, whose was the institution’s only architect until Eduar- de la Cestilla, dates from 1900. He led the con-
final project dates from 18832. The building, do de Adaro’s arrival in 1872. They shared pro- struction of numerous branch buildings until
of great architectural beauty and interest, was jects for twelve years, most notably the build- 1924, when his relationship with the Bank
demolished in 1954, to be replaced with a new ing for the headquarters in Paseo del Prado ended as a result of disagreements with the
and Calle Alcalá, until the death of Sainz de Council regarding the Pamplona branch pro-
1 NAVASCUÉS PALACIO, Pedro (1982). El Banco de España en Lastra in 1884. ject. The project was later commissioned to
Madrid. Génesis de un edificio, in El Banco de España. Dos
siglos de historia. 1782-1982, Madrid : Banco de España. Eduardo de Adaro had a very productive Yárnoz and Menéndez Pidal. Benito González
2 ALONSO, María José (1998), La arquitectura del Banco de career both inside and outside the institution, del Valle took part, with José de Astiz, in
España. Arquitectura-Tipología (1877-1921), in Arquitectura
bancaria en España. Madrid, Electra-Ministerio de Fomento where he remained until his death in 1906. He the construction projects for the Valencia,

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Badajoz and Oviedo branches in 1912 and

1913.
José Yárnoz Larrosa joined the Bank as
an architect in 1917. He was awarded the ten-
der for the construction of the Vitoria branch
in Cuesta del Teatro, on the site of the for-
mer Vitoria Theatre, a neoclassical building
by Silvestre Pérez. The architectural elements
of the Vitoria building could be said to have
defined the model that was to be repeatedly
used from then on in many Banco de España
branches: a free-standing building with a rec-
tangular plan; its main façade on one of the
shorter sides, with five recesses, three sto-
reys and open-space offices; and character-
ised by a monumental and sober style, with
stained-glass windows and coloured mar-
ble to add splendour. Two of Yárnoz’s most Bilbao branch. 1918. Archivo Banco de España
interesting and successful projects were the
extension of the Madrid building (1928) and
the Barcelona branch building in Vía Layet- López Rull in Almería (1902), Pedro Vidal in undertaken by the institution. Between the
ana (1929). The latter was shared with Luis Salamanca (1902), Julián Apraiz in Bilbao establishment of the first branches in 1858
Menéndez Pidal and is perhaps the finest of (1918) (although he came from Vitoria), Anto- and the inauguration of the last building in
all the branch buildings in the history of the nio Illanes del Río in Seville (1919), and Eloy Jaén in 1988 by Rafael Moneo, the Bank has
Banco de España. Yárnoz worked for the Bank Martínez del Valle in Santander (1924). Secun- used one hundred and ninety one buildings
almost until the 1960s, his last project being dino Zuazo Ugalde, who designed the Grana- in seventy six cities, some rented, others
the Logroño branch in 1956. Other, also very da (1933) and Córdoba (1934) branches at a owned, some refurbished and others built on
prolific, architects, shared projects with Yár- later stage (two of his masterpieces), did not new sites. As can be seen in Table 1. The data
noz in the central decades of the 20th cen- fall into this category as he was originally from reveal the importance that the institution has
tury (from the 1920s to the 1960s), bearing Bilbao3. attributed to the buildings’ management. To
witness to the intense construction activity From 1979, following the building review this fact we owe the architectural richness of
taking place during those years. For a num- plan approved by the Executive Commission, the buildings and the beauty of the plans that
ber of years, Yárnoz coincided with architects the Bank decided to build eight new branch- reflect their designs, preserved for the most
such as: Luis Menéndez Pidal, whose first pro- es, since the existing buildings did not meet part in the rich archive of the entity.
ject was the Alcoy branch (1921); Romual- the security and service standards required
do de Madariaga and Céspedes, whose first at the time. The Bank commissioned these All images: © Archivo Banco de España
major commission was the Albacete branch projects to renowned Spanish architects
(1933); and Juan de Zavala Lafora, whose first such as Rafael Moneo, for the Jaen branch;
building for the Banco de España was the Avi- Ramón Vázquez Molezún and José Antonio Author profile
la branch (1927). Corrales, for the Badajoz building; Ramón
In addition to the institution’s own archi- Cañas Represa for Zamora and Oviedo (the
tects, a number of independent architects latter shared with Nicolás Arganza); Luis and Elena Serrano - University Degree in Geog-
took part in new building projects on an ad Sebastián Recasens for the Cádiz branch; raphy and History, Universidad Autónoma
hoc basis, especially in the oldest period. In Vicente Sánchez de León for Ciudad Real; of Madrid (Spain). Senior archivist in Ban-
the early years of the branches’ existence, Luis Clotet and Ignacio Paricio for the Gerona co de España, Madrid since 1995. Her work
from 1874 onward, a number of projects building; and Eleuterio Población Knappe for has focused on the treatment of historical
were commissioned to local architects. These the Huesca branch4. document fonds. She has managed several
architects were very familiar with the cities in This brief look at the buildings and archi- major projects involving the treatment of the
which they lived and worked. They were fully tects of the Banco de España allows us to gain Bank’s document heritage collections such
entrusted with the buildings’ design and style more insight into the prolific building activity as the Architecture Plans Collection and the
and had the support of the Bank’s architects Historical Photograph Collection. She is the
3 NAVASCUÉS PALACIO, Pedro. (2015). Arquitectura del Banco
when dealing with issues related to opera- de España. In: Serrano García, E. (eds), Planos Históricos de los author of several articles and publications.
tional needs. These local architects includ- Edificios del Banco de España. Madrid y Sucursales, pp. 11-38. Her most recent book is “Historical plans of
Madrid : Ediciones El Viso
ed José Goicoa in San Sebastian (1881), Sab- 4 SERRANO GARCÍA, Elena. (ed.), (2015), Planos Históricos de los the Banks of Spain’s buildings”, published
ino de Goicoechea in Bilbao (1883), Juan edificios del Banco de España. Madrid y Sucursales. Madrid : in December of 2015.
Ediciones El Viso, pp. 40-47
Álvarez de Mendoza in Lugo (1901), Enrique

78 bulletin | 2017
 S PAIN

Location Date of Street Architect Types of work

establishment
Albacete 1887 Tinte, 50 Unknown
1894 Salamanca, 16 Adaro y Magro, Eduardo de Remodeling
1936 Martínez Villena, 21 Madariaga, Romualdo de New site
Alcoy 1884 Santa Elena, 4 Unknown
1928 Laporta Astiz Bárcena, José de; Menéndez Pidal, Luis New site
Algeciras 1904 Sagasta, 10 Unknown
1930 Regino Martínez, 16 Y 18 Zavala Lafora, Juan de Remodeling
Alicante 1858 Amérigo con Princesa Unknown
1885 Victoria, 2 Guardiola Picó, José Remodeling
1947 Méndez Núñez, 7 Yárnoz Larrosa, José New site
Almería 1884 Príncipe Alfonso, 39 Unknown
1904 Plaza Circular (luego Emilio Pérez) López Rull, Enrique New site
1956 Plaza Circular Madariaga, Romualdo de New site
Antequera 1930 Ovelar y Cid, 10 y 12 Yárnoz Larrosa, José Remodeling
Ávila 1886 Plaza del Alcázar, 16 Unknown
1891 San Segundo, 19-21 Sala, Felipe de Remodeling
1930 Plaza de Calvo Sotelo, 1 Yárnoz Larrosa, José; Zavala Lafora, Juan de New site
Badajoz 1880 Arco-Agüero, 10 Adaro y Magro, Eduardo de Remodeling
1918 Plaza de la Soledad, 9 Astiz Bárcena, José de New site
1985 Antonio Masa Campos, 22 Corrales Gutiérrez, José A.; Vázquez Molezún, Ramón New site
Barcelona 1874 Ancha, 2 Unknown
1892 Rambla de Santa Mónica, 27 Rogent, Elías Remodeling
1932 Vía Layetana Yárnoz Larrosa, José; Menéndez Pidal, Luis New site
1955 Plaza de Cataluña Zavala Lafora, Juan de New site
Berlín 1903 Oficina Delegación de Hacienda Unknown
Bilbao 1874 Casa de los Sres. Pelayo y Palme Unknown
1875 Bidebarrieta, 12 Remodeling
1885 Matadero, luego Banco de España Goicoechea, Sabino New site
1923 Gran Vía López de Haro, 10 Apraiz, Julián New site
Burgos 1884 Plaza de Alonso Martínez, 1 Unknown
1900 Paseo de la Isla Adaro y Magro, Eduardo de New site
1958 Victoria, 34-38 Yárnoz Larrosa, José New site
Cabra 1929 Martín Belda, 23 y 25 Yárnoz Larrosa, José Remodeling
Cáceres 1884 Solana, 12 Unknown
1905 San Pedro, 15 Rodríguez, Emilio María New site
1959 Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Yárnoz Larrosa, José New site
Cádiz 1874 Calvario, 4, luego Antonio López Unknown
1983 Plaza de la Constitución Recaséns, Luis y Sebastián New site
Calatayud 1932 Plaza de Joaquín Costa, 15 Yárnoz Larrosa, José New site
Cartagena 1887 Plaza del Rey, 12 Adaro y Magro, Eduardo de Remodeling
1891 San Francisco, 5 Unknown
1900 Puerta de Murcia, s/n Unknown
1961 Plaza de San Francisco Zavala Lafora, Juan de New site
Castellón 1886 Plaza de la Paz, 2 Unknown
1949 Plaza de la Paz, 2 Madariaga, Romualdo de New site
Ceuta 1957 Plaza del General García Valiño Zavala Lafora, Juan de New site
Ciudad Real 1884 Toledo, 24 Unknown
1904 Plaza del Pilar, nº 3 Rebollar, Sebastián New site
1985 Plaza de España, 15 Sánchez de León Pachecho, Vicente New site
Córdoba 1879 Puerta del Osario, 12 Unknown
1939 Avenida del Gran Capitán Zuazo Ugalde, Secundino New site
Cuenca 1887 Calderón de la Barca, 85 al 89 Unknown
1896 Madereros, 60 Unknown
1925 Parque de Canalejas (San Julián) Astiz Bárcena, José de; Martínez del Valle, Eloy New site
Don Benito 1928 Villanueva, 41 Yárnoz Larrosa, José Remodeling
1948 Plaza de la República, 15 y 16 Yárnoz Larrosa, José New site
Ferrol 1945 Plaza de España, nº 2 Unknown
1949 Plaza de España Yárnoz Larrosa, José New site

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SPAI N

Location Date of Street Architect Types of work

establishment
Gerona 1884 San Francisco, 9 Unknown
1902 Plaza del Marqués de Camps, 13 Sureda, Martín New site
1989 Avenida 20 de Junio, nº 2 Clotet, Luis; Paricio, Ignacio New site
Gijón 1884 Trinidad, 33 Unknown
1891 Instituto, 27 Unknown
1894 Instituto, 13 Adaro y Magro, Eduardo de Remodeling
1950 Jovellanos, 14 Menéndez Pidal, Luis New site
Granada 1879 San Antón, 39 Unknown
1887 San Antón, 38 Adaro y Magro, Eduardo de Remodeling
1942 Gran Vía de Colón, 16 Zuazo Ugalde, Secundino New site
Guadalajara 1886 Plaza de Santa María, 1 Unknown
1934 Plaza de don Diego García Yárnoz Larrosa, José New site
Haro 1892 Pardo, 1 Coello, Fernando Remodeling
1924 Plaza de San Agustín Astiz Bárcena, José de; Yárnoz Larrosa, José New site
Huelva 1884 Ricos, 25 Unknown
1891 Sevilla, 34 Unknown
1941 Plaza de la Constitución Yárnoz Larrosa, José New site
Huesca 1884 Coso Alto, 55 Villasante, Federico Remodeling
1903 Coso Alto, 16 Adaro y Magro, Eduardo de New site
1988 Martínez de Velasco Población Knappe, Eduardo Unknown
Jaén 1884 Juego de la Pelota, 9, luego Juan de Montilla Unknown
1950 Juan de Montilla, 9 Madariaga, Romualdo de New site
1988 Paseo de la Estación, 57 Moneo Vallés, José Rafael New site
Játiva 1929 Plaza del Almudín, 19 Menéndez Pidal, Luis Remodeling
1958 General Primo de Rivera Madariaga, Romualdo de New site
Jerez de la Frontera 1875 Larga, 25 Unknown
1907 Plaza de Eguilaz Astiz Bárcena, José de New site
La Coruña 1874 Riego del Agua, 37 Unknown
1926 Durán Lóriga, 16 Astiz Bárcena, José de; Mariño, Pedro R. New site
Larache 1920 Mel-hao Unknown
1951 Generalísimo, 10 Zavala Lafora, Juan de New site
Las Palmas 1889 Plaza de Santa Ana, 7 Unknown
1897 Balcones, 11 Adaro y Magro, Eduardo de Remodeling
1952 León y Castillo, 4-8 Zavala Lafora, Juan de New site
León 1886 Plaza Mayor, 26 Unknown
1890 Plazuela del Conde, 4 Unknown
1903 Bayón, 4 Cárdenas, Manuel New site
1950 Ordoño II Yárnoz Larrosa, José New site
Lérida 1886 Fernando, 20 Aguilar Vela, José María Remodeling
1939 Blondel, 23 Menéndez Pidal, Luis New site
Linares 1892 General Echagüe, 6 Unknown
1904 Castillos, 2 Astiz Bárcena, José de Remodeling
1950 José Antonio, 66 Madariaga, Romualdo de New site
Logroño 1885 Mayor, 8 Unknown
1908 Bretón de los Herreros, nº 33 Adaro y Magro, Eduardo de; Astiz Bárcena, José de New site
1959 General Vara del Rey Yárnoz Larrosa, José New site
Londes 1902 Oficina Delegación de Hacienda Unknown
Lugo 1886 Progreso, 6 Unknown
1902 Emilio Castelar, 4 Astiz Bárcena, José de New site
1965 Generalísimo Franco (Emilio Castelar), 4) Zavala Lafora, Juan de New site
Málaga 1874 Alameda Hermosa, 7 Unknown
1936 Cervantes, 3 Yárnoz Larrosa, José New site
Melilla 1913 Santa Bárbara Astiz Bárcena, José de Remodeling
1943 Plaza de España, 2 Zavala Lafora, Juan de New site
Murcia 1884 Saavedra Fajardo Unknown
1887 Plaza de Cetina Unknown
1895 Plaza de Monassot New site
1929 Gran Vía Escultor Francisco Salzillo Yárnoz Larrosa, José; Menéndez Pidal, Luis New site
Orense 1886 Progreso, 75 Unknown
1930 Vicente Pérez Yárnoz Larrosa, José; Zavala Lafora, Juan de New site
Oviedo 1874 Campomanes, 13 Unknown
1923 Suárez de la Riva Astiz Bárcena, José de New site
1982 Conde de Toreno Cañas Represa, Ramón; Araganza García, Nicolás New site
Palencia 1884 Mayor, 8 y 10 Unknown
1903 Cestilla, 8 Astiz Bárcena, José de New site
1961 Generalísimo Franco, antes Cestilla Zavala Lafora, Juan de New site

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Location Date of Street Architect Types of work

establishment
Palma de Mallorca 1874 Plaza de Santa Eulalia Unknown
1880 San Bartolomé y de Escursach Rigo y Clar, Miguel New site
Pamplona 1874 San Ignacio, 4 Unknown
1892 San Ignacio, 2 Aguilar Vela, José María Remodeling
1927 Sarasate o Valencia Yárnoz Larrosa, José; Menéndez Pidal, Luis New site
París 1902 Oficina Delegación de Hacienda Unknown
Pontevedra 1886 Plaza del Teucro, 5 Unknown
1893 Riestra, 37 y 38 Unknown
1903 Michelena, 29 Adaro y Magro, Eduardo de New site
Reus 1878 Santa Ana, 40 Unknown
1904 Santa Ana, 59 Caselles y Tarrats, Pedro New site
Salamanca 1884 Herreros o del Toro, 21 Unknown
1942 Zamora, 20 Madariaga, Romualdo de New site
San Sebastián 1874 Trinidad, 28 Unknown
[1884] Garibay, 26 Goicoa, José New site
1941 Garibay, 26, 28 y 30 Yárnoz Larrosa, José New site
Santander 1875 Velasco, 3 Unknown
1929 Alfonso XIII, 2 Astiz Bárcena, José de; Martínez del Valle, Eloy New site
Santiago de 1886 Casas Reales Unknown
Compostela 1918 Plaza de la Universidad Unknown
1949 Plaza de Platerías Madariaga, Romualdo de New site
Segovia 1886 Plazuela de San Facundo, 8 Unknown
1897 Solar de los Huertos Aguilar Vela, José María New site
1952 Cronista Ildefonso Rodríguez, 1 y 3 Madariaga, Romualdo de New site
Sevilla 1875 Estrella Unknown
1928 Plaza de San Francisco, 17 Astiz Bárcena, José; Illanes del Río, Antonio New site
Soria 1887 Plaza del Conde de Gomara, 3 Unknown
1936 Plaza de la República (plaza de San Esteban) Yárnoz Larrosa, José New site
Talavera 1929 Sol, 14 y 16 Unknown
1949 Carnicerías Zavala Lafora, Juan de New site
Tánger 1909 Legación de España Unknown
1948 Bélgica, 7 y 9 Zavala Lafora, Juan de New site
Tarragona 1878 Smith, 6 Unknown
1887 Apodaca, 3 Unknown
1929 San Juan Yárnoz Larrosa, José; Zavala Lafora, Juan de New site
Tenerife 1887 Marina, 9 Unknown
1895 Castillo, 77 Unknown
1932 Viera y Clavijo, 25 Yárnoz Larrosa, José; Menéndez Pidal, Luis New site
Teruel 1887 Paz, 4 Aguilar Vela, José María Remodeling
1897 San Juan, 34 Unknown
1936 Plaza de Emilio Castelar Zavala Lafora, Juan de New site
Tetuán 1920 Plaza de Alfonso XIII Unknown
1950 Plaza de Muley el Mehd Yárnoz Larrosa, José New site
Toledo 1884 Plazuela de San Nicolás, 4 Unknown
1892 Cadenas, 18 Aguilar Vela, José María Remodeling
1954 Nueva, 16 Menéndez Pidal, Luis New site
Tortosa 1903 San Ildefonso Unknown
1937 Cervantes, 13-17 Zavala Lafora, Juan de New site
Valdepeñas 1928 Pintor Mendoza, 32 Unknown
1947 Seis de junio, 27 y 29 Yárnoz Larrosa, José New site
Valencia 1858 Yerba, 5 Gisbert, Jorge Remodeling
1860 Pza. de la Congregación, 3 Gisbert, Jorge Remodeling
1918 Barcas, 6 Asitz Bárcena, José de; González del Valle, Benito New site
Valladolid 1874 Duque de la Victoria, 14 Iturralde y Montiel, Antonio Unknown
1879 Duque de la Victoria, 28 Martínez Sangrós, Pedro New site
1958 Duque de la Victoria, 28 Madariaga, Romualdo de New site
Vigo 1885 Arenal, 66 Unknown
1943 Policarpo Sanz, 15 Madariaga, Romualdo de New site
Vitoria 1874 Plaza Nueva, 4 Unknown
1880 Prado, 9 Unknown
1920 Cuesta del Teatro, 4 Yárnoz Larrosa, José New site
Zamora 1884 Plaza del Salvador, 54 Unknown
1929 Santa Clara, 1 Pérez Arribas, Gregorio Remodeling
1985 Plaza de San Fernando, 6 Cañas Represa, Ramón New site
Zaragoza 1874 Coso, 67 Unknown
1935 Plaza de la Constitución, 8 Madariaga, Romualdo de; Zavala Lafora, Juan de New site

Table 1

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TH E N E T HE R L A N DS

Different banks, different buildings?

Jaap-Jan Mobron

T
he origins of three of the largest
general banks of the Netherlands –
Rabobank, ING and ABN AMRO – are
very different. It would hardly be surprising,
therefore, if these differing historical origins
were also reflected in the head offices that
they have commissioned over the years. But
is this actually the case?
These days Rabobank, ING and ABN
AMRO operate in a broad and largely overlap-
ping market of mortgages, insurance, com-
mercial and consumer credit, domestic and
international payments, investments and
private banking. The distinctions that previ-
ously existed in the sector have blurred since
the 1960s. Despite the current overlap, how-
ever, each of the three banks has retained
a certain specialist focus. Rabobank, for
instance, is the largest provider of mortgag-
es and strongly positioned in the agricul- Coöperatieve Centrale Boerenleenbank, Dommelstraat, Eindhoven
tural sector; while ING’s main strength is in
the retail and the small and medium-sized
enterprise market (SME); and ABN AMRO has Girodienst of 1918 both were set up by the MeesPierson and savings bank Verenigde
a prominent position in private banking. In Dutch government to encourage lower Spaarbank, or VSB. The new ABN AMRO is
each case, the special focus that gives each class saving and to provide broad-ranging currently in the process of being returned to
bank a character of its own, is attributable to access to the giro payment system. These the private sector in phases.
that bank’s individual history. two merged in 1979, were privatised in 1986 Despite the three banks’ very different
Rabobank’s origins go back to the late as Postbank and merged in 1989 with the backgrounds and histories, the architectures
nineteenth century, when farmers and hor- Nederlandsche Middenstandsbank (NMB) of their head offices have clearly developed
ticulturalists across the country set up local to form NMB Postbank. NMB itself was the along certain general lines. Until well into
cooperative banks to meet their own need result of a merger in 1927 of various local and the twentieth century, all the banks chose
for credit. In 1898, local banks established regional retail banks. to locate themselves in historic city cen-
two umbrella organisations: the Coöper- Nederlandsche Handel-Maatschap- tres, with banking districts arising mainly in
atieve Centrale Raiffeisen-Bank in Utrecht, pij or NHM of 1824 is generally considered the larger cities and with Amsterdam boast-
and Coöperatieve Centrale Boerenleenbank to be ABN AMRO’s earliest legal predeces- ing the largest concentration of banks. In the
in Eindhoven, which merged in 1972 to form sor, which started off as a trading company early days of modern banking, and indeed
Rabobank Nederland. On 1 January 2016, of colonial goods. Gradually it evolved into for many years afterwards, very few new
the local, previously independent banks, a commercial bank, alongside others such offices were built. Quite often a bank would
merged with each other and Rabobank as Amsterdamsche Bank, Rotterdamsche open its first business premises in the home
Nederland to create a single legal entity. Bank and Twentsche Bank, with a shared cli- of the partner, director or cashier, with adja-
ING (Internationale Nederlanden Groep) entele of larger companies and wealthy pri- cent properties being added later, if need-
was created in 1991 by a merger between vate individuals. These four eventually all ed. Bank buildings were initially no differ-
an insurance company (Nationale-Neder- merged, first into ABN and Amro, and in 1991 ent from the buildings in their direct vicinity,
landen, or NN) and a bank (NMB Postbank) into ABN AMRO. The bank was nationalised and that was in fact intentional: a bank was
which de-merged in 2014, turning ING into a in 2008 and two years later merged with For- not supposed to stand out from other build-
bank again. ING’s earliest predecessors, Rijk- tis Bank Nederland, which had previous- ings in the street. The idea, instead, was
spostspaarbank of 1881 and Postchèque- en ly absorbed, among others, merchant bank that it should blend in with, and so benefit

82 bulletin | 2017
 T HE NET HER LAN DS

Rijkspostspaarbank, Van Baerlestraat, NHM, Vijzelstraat, Amsterdam Coöperatieve Centrale Boerenleenbank,

Amsterdam Fellenoord, Eindhoven

from the calibre of, its surroundings. An early a design combining various neo-classicist, safe deposits in the basement also became
example of this, dating back to 1831, can be neo-gothic and neo-renaissance elements. standard features of bank buildings, as evi-
seen in the NHM’s office at Herengracht 40 And Rotterdamsche Bank did more or less denced by the head offices built in Amster-
in Amsterdam, which was the first canalside the same thing in 1913, when it commis- dam by NHM in 1926 and by the Amsterdam-
house in Amsterdam to be used exclusive- sioned the building of an office at Amster- sche Bank in 1932. The impression created
ly as an office. The property’s façade, which dam’s Rokin. by both these monolithic buildings was
was designed in 1790 in Louis XVI-style, was A bank looking to convey a more that of a fortress; they represented solidity.
retained by NHM and so remained in keeping dynamic, modern image could opt for a In fact, NHM was even proud to claim that
with its surroundings. more contemporary style, such as Art Nou- its building would be able to withstand an
Having a historical façade and histori- veau, Expressionism or Rationalism. Exam- attack by a Zeppelin!
cal surroundings not only served as a mark ples of these styles can be seen respective- In many ways these two buildings were
of distinction, but also created an image of ly in the 1901 head office of Amsterdamsche representative of their age, except in two
tradition and, therefore, continuity and reli- Bank at Herengracht in Amsterdam; the 1921 respects. Firstly, they were both designed
ability for the banks: a vital asset for any head office of Twentsche Bank at Spuistraat by renowned architects, Karel de Bazel and
bank. Indeed, it remained so important for in the same city; and the 1933 head office of Hendrik Berlage, whereas most bank archi-
them that, when they decided to build new MeesPierson predecessor R. Mees & Zoonen tects were known only in local architec-
premises in the early decades of the twenti- at Blaak in Rotterdam. However, these exam- tural circles. Although hiring a nationally
eth century, they instructed their architects ples were hardly numerous. And a modern- well-known master builder obviously con-
to seek inspiration from history. In 1911, for ist bank building was even rarer to find, the ferred status on a bank, most bankers still
example, the Coöperatieve Centrale Boer- only cases being merely branches or build- had a preference for more client-orient-
enleenbank’s Dommelstraat branch in ings that were not originally designed as ed, less well-known architects without too
Eindhoven was built in the ‘Around 1800’ banks, such as the Coolsingel office of Hol- much artistic ambition or temperament.
style of neo-historicism. Other banks could landsche Bank-Unie, which became part of Secondly, the scale of these two buildings
base their new buildings on a different his- ABN AMRO, in Rotterdam. was exceptional as, after the Second World
torical style; among them Nederlandsch-In- Although the façades usually emulated War, few new buildings of this volume and
dische Handelsbank, an ABN AMRO pre- a style from the past, the building techniques height were ever built in the historic cen-
decessor, which decided in 1912 to have applied were always extremely modern, tre of Amsterdam. This was mainly because
an office built at Singel in Amsterdam in a with all the latest technical features being the City imposed stricter regulations from
style (although not scale) highly reminis- incorporated into the design. These could the 1970s onwards, reacting to ever strong-
cent of the nearby classicistic Royal Pal- range from pneumatic postal dispatch sys- er popular opposition to the city’s increas-
ace built on Dam Square back in 1655. This tems to telephone exchanges, electrical lifts, ing building density and the large-scale
neo-classicism clearly invoked strong asso- central heating and early forms of air condi- demolition of historic buildings that
ciations with the Dutch Golden Age of the tioning. The buildings usually had frames of this often entailed.
seventeenth century and so was very popu- reinforced concrete, which was fire-retard- The situation in post-war Rotterdam
lar among Dutch banks. Other banks in turn ant and burglar-resistant. This construc- was completely different as the German
chose an eclectic mix of various neo-styles. tion material, however, was invariably hid- bombing raids in May 1940 had destroyed
When building a new office in 1901 close to den from view, including on the inside of much of the city’s historic centre. Ironically,
what is now Museum Square in Amsterdam, the building, often masked by stucco work. this created scope and even a need for large-
for example, Rijkspostspaarbank selected Lightwells, sometimes highly decorated, and scale construction work, including buildings

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TH E N E T HE R L A N DS

NMB, Amsterdamse Poort, Amsterdam

had much in common with the Amsterdam

head office of the Dutch Central Bank (cf.
eabh bulletin 2016, Architecture & Finance,
“Unpopular icon of the 1960s” by Gert Eijkel-
Avenue of Banks on Blaak, Rotterdam, from left to right Twentsche Bank, NHM and Amsterdamsche boom): imposing, yet unapproachable. In
Bank-Incasso-Bank order to soften this impression somewhat,
generous budgets were made available for
contemporary art, which was then displayed
throughout the premises. Some banks con-
for banks. Indeed, being financially strong signs of the Zodiac or a phoenix, along with tinued to prefer large new offices in the city
institutions, banks were the first to be able designs symbolising concepts such as sav- centre, including VSB-predecessor Spaar-
to commission new premises. They concen- ings, diligence, prosperity, peace, agricul- bank voor de Stad Amsterdam, which built
trated their buildings in certain parts of the ture, industry and reconstruction. new premises at the Amsterdam Singel in
city, sometimes because they were forced Until then, generally speaking, banks 1964, and ABN, which built a new Amster-
to do so by the city, sometimes for practi- did not have particularly large workforces. dam office at Vijzelstraat in 1973. Amro, too,
cal reasons and perhaps occasionally simply Staff lived close to their work, and the num- remained loyal, for now, to the Amsterdam
by force of habit. As a result, Coolsingel and ber of people with cars, who therefore need- city centre, with its old head office at Heren-
Blaak quickly evolved into a banking dis- ed parking space, was limited. Things start- gracht undergoing a radical refurbishment
trict, with massive buildings, at least in rel- ed changing in the 1960s, when Dutch banks and expansion between 1966 and 1972.
ative terms, erected in characteristic mon- began scaling up their activities, while the However, building or extending offices
umental style from the late 1940s onwards, scope to build in cities’ historical centres in the city centre was anything but easy for
in an atmosphere of optimism and zest for was becoming ever more restricted owing these banks, and usually involved a series
activity. This ‘age of reconstruction’ saw to a combination of government regulations of adaptations and delays. This was why the
huge, rectangular office blocks erected by and public opinion. This was when business last of the banks still in the city centre even-
Rotterdamsche Bank at Coolsingel in 1949 parks started being built on the outskirts of tually decided during the 1980s to relocate
and by Spaarbank te Rotterdam, a prede- towns, where they were easy to reach and to mono-functional office districts close to
cessor of VSB, at Botersloot in Rotterdam in offered opportunities to build new offices. motorways, where they were more visible
1957. By 1950 a whole avenue of banks had Most of these new buildings were near access and had opportunities to expand. In this
been built at Blaak, all with the same build- roads (alongside roundabouts, for instance) way, banks’ offices became their signboards,
ing line, general form, cubic contents and and the city centre facilities remained close advertising their presence. Other reasons for
height, and housing Twentsche Bank, Ned- at hand. Examples of this can be seen in the their choosing to move included a desire to
erlandsche Handel-Maatschappij and Incas- head offices built by: Coöperatieve Centrale centralise, and so to improve the efficien-
so-Bank, which later became part of Amster- Boerenleenbank north of the centre of Ein- cy of their activities by significantly reduc-
damsche Bank. This monumental style was dhoven in 1967; by Postchècque- en Girodi- ing their often high numbers of head office
also reproduced in other large cities, includ- enst on the outskirts of Arnhem in 1969; and locations spread around the city.
ing when Coöperatieve Centrale Raiffei- by NMB on the southern edge of Amsterdam The buildings the banks erected in these
sen-Bank built a new office at St. Jacobsstraat in 1974. All these buildings were massive new office districts attempted to return to a
in Utrecht in 1957. As well as being rec- concrete structures, with lots of glass – trans- more human scale, with the emphasis now
tangular in shape, these buildings were parency was the buzzword of the day – and being largely on the horizontal rather than the
widely embellished with ornamental parking places. They often also combined vertical. The head offices built in the south-
wrought iron and other decorative work, low- and high-rise buildings or were built on east of Amsterdam by Amro in 1988 and NMB
usually of a symbolic nature. This included a cross-shaped grid. In terms of style, they in 1987 were both good examples of this trend.

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ABN AMRO, Gustav Mahlerlaan, Amsterdam Rabobank, Croeselaan, Utrecht Former ING House, Amstelveenseweg, Amsterdam
(photo: Bertus de Ruiter)

Indeed, NMB was so pleased by the organ- (ING). From the very start, both buildings and returned to the no less special, but old-
ic architecture of its new office Amsterdam- were explicitly designed to be sustainable, er Sandcastle in the south-east of Amster-
se Poort, which was nicknamed ‘The Sand- energy-efficient and environmentally friend- dam. In due course, however, they will also be
castle’, that it went on to commission various ly – today’s buzzwords – and to reflect the leaving this building, which is going to be con-
new branches in the same style. The new head now commonplace trend, the ‘New World of verted into housing. The plan now is for ING
office opened by Rabobank in 1984 was at a Work’ or smart working, with plenty of flexi- to move, in three years’ time, to a new head
walking distance from Utrecht central station. ble workstations. All manner of later adapta- office, which will be built opposite the current
It consciously sought to emphasise breadth tions to the ABN AMRO head office mean that premises. ING, too, has significantly shrunk
rather than height. As its façade was entire- it, too, has now largely achieved these aims. in size, both as a result of the credit crisis and
ly covered in glass-panelling, the building The 2007-2008 credit crisis not only the carve-out of NN, and now has fewer staff
quickly became known as ‘The Palace of Mir- had major implications for the Dutch banks than previously and therefore less need for
rors’. Meanwhile, neighbours who complained themselves, but also, albeit indirectly, for large office premises. Although the design of
about the panels reflecting sunlight were com- their head offices. In 2013, ABN AMRO dra- the new head office has yet to be seen, ING’s
pensated by being given free sunblinds. matically changed its classically structured decision to abandon two of the country’s
This trend continued in the years around entrance hall – with an impressive high ceil- highest-profile bank buildings would seem
the turn of the last century, with most new ing extending up to the third floor, lots of to suggest that, this time, it will be aiming for
buildings or sizeable expansions being out- empty space and abundant use of natu- greater architectural anonymity.
side the historical city centres and situated ral stone – to create a more inviting, mul- All in all, we can see that however dif-
close to stations and access roads or motor- ti-functional and less monumental work- ferent the origins of the largest Dutch banks
ways. There was one difference, however, ing environment. It included new meeting may be, they have often made similar deci-
and that was the return to a clear preference rooms and flexible workstations, extra plac- sions when choosing the architectural
– even more so than in previous generations es to sit down and a multi levelled coffee designs and locations of their head offic-
– for high-rise buildings. The most recent bar. The bank’s managing board felt that es. Nevertheless, certain differences can be
examples of this were the 105-metre high the old entrance hall was no longer in keep- identified, and it is these differences that
tower built by ABN AMRO in Amsterdam’s ing with today’s world or the current status make bank architecture in the Netherlands
Zuidas business district in 1999 and the of ABN AMRO, which the crisis had changed so interesting.
equally high Rabobank head office in Utre- from a global player to a state-owned bank
cht, which was built alongside the bank’s operating primarily in the Netherlands. With thanks to Annette Beentjes (ING) and
old head office in 2012. An exception to this When commissioning its new head Jan van der Meer (Rabobank).
trend, but also in the Zuidas district, was ING office, Rabobank had given its entrance
House that was built in 2002 and was much hall a comparable lounge-style feeling, with
smaller than and only half as high as the oth- lots of individual workstations in a relaxed
er two banks’ new head offices. Whereas ABN atmosphere. It had also created scope in this Author profile
AMRO sought to convey an image befitting a entrance hall for a professionally designed
global bank through the height of its tower, and prominently visible art display. How-
its use of materials and its choice of archi- ever, the Art Zone, as it was known, closed Jaap-Jan Mobron (1964) is a historian and art
tect (Pei Cobb Freed from New York), the oth- down in 2014 as the credit crisis meant that historian who has been affiliated with ABN
er two institutions focused primarily on the the bank needed to cut costs. AMRO Art & History department since 1993.
originality of their new offices’ edifice. That ING went a step further in this respect As well as being responsible for the depart-
did much to explain why these buildings so by deciding to sell its head office. In 2012, ment’s academic, popular and online publica-
quickly attracted nicknames such as ‘The the bank’s board left its prominent loca- tions, his activities include arranging exhibi-
Binoculars’ (Rabobank) or ‘The Dust Buster’ tion in Amsterdam’s Zuidas business district tions and tours on aspects of banking history.

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A Domesday Book for Barclays Bank:

an architectural snapshot
Maria Sienkiewicz

T
he history of banks in England and
Wales is one of mergers and acqui-
sitions. Over the course of the last
300 years, hundreds of small banks and build-
ing societies have merged, or been taken
over, to evolve in to the big high street names
which are now so familiar. Buildings which
were once the distinctive head office of a local
firm, and premises constructed by craftsmen
using local materials, are now all parts of a
uniformly branded network. Still more have
disappeared altogether – victims of rationali-
sation programmes, and the increasing move
away from branch banking to online services.
The pivotal moment for Barclays Bank
in this process of amalgamation and take-
over came in 1896, when 20 small private
banks joined together to form Barclay and
Company Limited. Of the records created
during that process, five volumes stand out
for anyone interested in architecture, the
practicalities of banking, or living and work-
ing conditions in the late 19th century.
Just as the Domesday Book1 forms a
survey of England at the time of the Norman
Conquest, these five volumes form a sur-
vey of all the premises which made up the
newly-formed Barclay and Company Limit-
ed in 1896.2 Bound in leather with gold tool-
ing, each volume is 38cm high, and 25cm
wide. The thickness of the volumes varies, Leighton Buzzard branch, designed by Alfred Waterhouse, pictured in 1962
as they are organised under the headings © Barclays Group Archives ref 30/1618
of the 20 private component banks. Volume
one, which covers premises owned by Bar- London. Each survey was also signed by its contents, it was important that each of
clay, Bevan and Co, and Goslings and Sharpe another surveyor, local to the building the constituent banks felt that their contri-
(the only two London banks in the amalga- under consideration. Surveys of premises in butions in to the new company were being
mation) contains only 65 folios, while vol- Brighton, for example, were signed by Thom- fairly assessed.
ume three, which covers the eight partner- as Wilkinson, and surveys in Hertfordshire by Each survey comprised a very detailed
ships and 86 premises controlled by the E Fergusson Taylor. Notes added to some of written description of the premises, togeth-
Gurney family in East Anglia is considerably the signatures suggest that Lofts and Warner er with a simple floor plan. 168 buildings
thicker, with 253 folios. were working on behalf of Barclay and Com- were covered in total, from the Lombard
The surveys were all written in the same pany Limited, while the local surveyors were Street premises of Barclay, Bevan and Com-
hand, and all were signed by William H Warn- representing the old private partnerships.3 pany in London, valued at £225,0004, to the
er of Lofts and Warner, Land Agents and Sur- As the ultimate purpose of each survey was bank operated by the Gurneys at Burnham
veyors of 130 Mount Street, Berkeley Square, to arrive at a valuation of the premises and Market, valued at just £300.5 The surveyors

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Goslings and Sharpe of Fleet Street, 1896 St Stephen’s Street, Norwich, 1896
© Barclays Group Archives ref 38/639 © Barclays Group Archives ref 38/641

considered the state of repair of the premis- On the Ground Floor • The Bank premises and the dwelling house
es, and their potential. Goslings and Sharpe’s The Bank, Bank Parlour, Strong room with occupied by the Manager situate at the cor-
Fleet Street premises in London, for exam- iron door and Lavatory. There is an Entrance ner of Bank Plain and London Street and
ple, were ‘exceedingly old-fashioned’, but Hall to Private House over occupied by the occupying a very important position.
‘would be of considerable value and bring in Manager containing. • The premises are brick built and slated
an important income’ if rebuilt.6 Branches On the First Floor with stone dressings.
which were designed by a reputable architect Two Sitting rooms, Kitchen, Scullery and Larder
were noted – both Leighton Buzzard7 and Dar- On the Second Floor On the Ground Floor
lington, High Row8 were designed by Alfred Four Bedrooms, Bath room and WC • The Shop, two Private rooms, Counting
Waterhouse, and Leighton Buzzard received On the Third Floor room, Bank Parlour, Waiting room, Consult-
an especially glowing review of its ‘imposing Two Bedrooms and WC ing room, Administration room, Balancing
appearance being built entirely of Ancaster In the Basement room, Ledger room, Bank room, Waste Book
Stone in the Venetian Gothic style.’9 Cellars and Furnaces etc room, Stationery room, Deed room, Private
A typical entry for a standard branch was • The entry for Bank Plain, the Gurneys’ head Telephone room, two Book rooms, Corridor
that for the bank at St Stephen’s Street, Nor- office was more typical of the entries for larg- with Telephone room, The Library, Partners’
wich, belonging to Gurney and Company:10 er premises:11 Lavatories, Clerks’ Lavatories.
The property consists of a brick and slat- • The whole property covers an area about one • There is a staircase leading to Partners’
ed Building situate in St Stephens Street, acre in the most important part of the City of Dining room and Dressing room, Clerks’
Norwich with right of way to Barwells Court. Norwich and forms a complete block having Dining room approached by a separate
The premises contain: very extensive frontages and comprises staircase.

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Picture 1 -

Ledger Room, Bank Plain, Norwich, early 1900s. © Barclays Group Archives ref 531/6

In the Basement Occasional glimpses of modern technol- properties were often substantial country
• Strong rooms with iron doors, Engine room ogy, in the form of telephones were start- houses, designed to elevate the Bank Man-
and Engine for hot and cold air, Hydraulic ing to appear, but class divides in the ager socially to the level of the gentry. The
Lift, Kitchen etc. form of separate facilities for partners and Manager’s house at Halesworth included
• At the rear of the Bank Building there are clerks were firmly entrenched. In the larg- a dining room, drawing room, library, six
Stables, Harness room, covered-in carriage er branches, lifts were not uncommon, bedrooms, a kitchen garden, flower garden,
yard and WC, Sheds, Watchman’s house and, unsurprisingly, iron doors featured tennis courts, and ornamental grounds and
and Cottage, Kitchen etc. prominently. When valuing the proper- walks, covering some 18 acres.
• The Manager’s Residence approached by ties, the surveyors assessed the location The surveys also provide evidence of
a private Entrance from Bank Street com- of the branches within the towns, placing the Bank’s willingness to use property as a
prises of; tremendous value on a branch being in the device to control the market. In Colchester,
On the Ground Floor most important part of town, and the ease the Gurneys had acquired a second proper-
Entrance Hall, Kitchen, Scullery, Pantry, of accessibility for those travelling by car- ty in addition to their own branch at 9 High
Outhouses etc, Back and Front Staircases riage. As a statement of intent, the surveys Street. 3 High Street had been the bank of
On the First Floor were fairly clear about the type of custom- Mills, Bawtree and Co, but they had default-
Dining room, Drawing room, Library, Study, ers the Bank wished to attract. ed in 1891, and the Gurneys had acquired
Dressing room, Pantry and WC Residences incorporated within the much of their business. At the time of the
On the Second Floor bank property were quite common, and 1896 survey, the Gurneys still owned 3 High
Six Bedrooms, bath room, three rooms and were usually occupied by the Manager. Street, and the surveyor noted that the
two Attics above. Occasionally, as at Halesworth12, the res- £7,000 valuation of 9 High Street was sub-
The descriptions and plans provide idence ‘over the shop’ was home to the ject to ‘confirmation … that the other Bank-
a comprehensive view of the state of Eng- Chief Clerk, and a separate house was ing Premises … known as 3 High Street Col-
lish banking at the end of the 19th century. provided for the Manager. Such separate chester should never be used as a Bank.’13

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The Manager’s Residence, Halesworth, 1896 Saffron Walden branch, including the Rose and Crown Hotel, 1896
© Barclays Group Archives ref 38/641 © Barclays Group Archives ref 38/640

Occasionally, it emerged that the Bank and the main Barclays head office in Lom-
owned other properties because they bard Street was subjected to almost con- Author profile
adjoined the branch and it was the easi- stant rebuilding during the 20th century.
est way of maintaining control of the sur- Together with other records, such as pho-
rounding area. In Saffron Walden, Gib- tographs, premises ledgers and building Maria Sienkiewicz has been Group Archivist
son, Tuke and Gibson owned the Rose and plans, the surveys provide a look back in to of Barclays PLC for 12 years. She graduat-
Crown Hotel14 which adjoined their bank, a disappearing world. ed as an Archivist from Bangor University in
and it was described in detail in the sur- The 1896 surveys were created primar- 1996 and worked in the public sector before
vey. The surveyor noted, ‘it would be desir- ily as a means of assessing the value of the joining Barclays.
able that the two properties should be held estate of the newly-formed Barclay and
together … [to] secure the premises from Company Limited. Careful study of them Literature and sources
1. The Domesday Book was compiled by William the Conquer-
falling into the hands of a rival Bank or in reveals so much more. or in 1086 and is held at the UK National Archives, ref E 31/2, see
any way becoming a nuisance.’15 A snapshot of a bank as it moved from http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/domesday/
2. Barclays Group Archives refs 38/639 – 38/643
Exactly how closely the surveyors’ old family traditions to modern organ- 3. Barclays Group Archives ref 38/640, folio 79
recommendations were followed would isational procedures, this architectural 4. Barclays Group Archives ref 38/639, folio 8
5. Barclays Group Archives ref 38/641, folio 231
require a wider study, but at least one piece record demonstrates how buildings reflect, 6. Barclays Group Archives ref 38/639, folio 60
of advice was put in to action fairly swiftly. respond to and influence working practic- 7. Barclays Group Archives ref 38/640, folio 159
8. Barclays Group Archives ref 38/642, folio 15
Goslings and Sharpe’s former premises on es, social status and corporate ambition. 9. Barclays Group Archives ref 38/640, folio 159
Fleet Street was demolished and rebuilt in 10. Barclays Group Archives ref 38/641 folios 136-137
11. Barclays Group Archives ref 38/641 folios 118-120
1898. As technology advanced, and bank- 12. Barclays Group Archives ref 38/641, folios 15-20
ing methods changed, other buildings met 13. Barclays Group Archives ref 38/641, folio 105
14. Barclays Group Archives ref 38/640, folios 196-200
with a similar fate. The Gurney’s old head 15. Barclays Group Archives ref 38/640, folio 199
office in Norwich was demolished in 1927,

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Documenting an Edinburgh landmark:

the Bank of Scotland architectural plans collection
Sian Yates

T
he Bank of Scotland archive is one of
the most complete and wide-rang-
ing business collections in the UK.
Stretching right back to the Bank’s founda-
tion in 1695, the archive includes the origi-
nal founding act; the first subscription ledg-
er where supporters pledged money to help
finance the Bank’s early business; and a
two metre long document from 1696 that
forms the contract between the Bank and
its first Governor, John Holland. In 2011,
the Bank of Scotland archive 1695-2001 was
inscribed on the UNESCO UK Memory of the
World register.
Among the archive’s many treasures, is
a rich and extensive collection of architec-
tural plans. Almost 5,000 of them survive.
Spanning the 19th to 21st centuries, they
offer a fascinating insight into the history of
the Bank and its changing physical presence Drawing of proposed south elevation, Bank of Scotland, 1803. Thought to be by William Sibbald
on the high street.
Several hundred relate to the Bank’s
iconic head office building on the Mound
in Edinburgh. Dating from the early 1800s,
when the building was originally construct-
ed, to the most recent renovations of the ear-
ly 2000s, these plans document the develop-
ment of an Edinburgh landmark.

Early 1800s: the Reid and Crichton Building

It was at the Bank of Scotland’s 100th annu-
al general meeting in 1796 that its directors
first decided to commission a purpose-built
head office. Prior to this, the Bank had
operated out of various rented offices in
the narrow closes of Edinburgh’s medieval
Old Town.
It took several years for a suitable loca-
tion to be found. But in 1800, the Bank pur-
chased a site on the Mound - an eminent
spot at the edge of the Old Town, overlook-
ing John Craig’s elegant New Town.
Two notable architects were appointed
to design the new office: Robert Reid and Rich-
ard Crichton. Both were pupils of the celebrated Drawing of proposed north elevation, Bank of Scotland, 1803. Thought to be by William Sibbald.

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Proposed north elevation for redeveloped Bank of

Scotland head office by Peddie & Kinnear, 1860 –
one of four alternatives

View of Edinburgh Old Town by J Clark, 1812. The Bank of Scotland head office and the prominent Thomas Hamilton’s proposed north elevation for
retaining wall can be seen centre left the enlarged Bank of Scotland head office, 1852

Robert Adam. In keeping with the times, their Proposal for Redevelopment 1850s-1860s
building was in the style of a Georgian vil- The Reid and Crichton building opened in
la, topped with a shallow dome. Construction 1806. By the 1850s however, it was proving
began in 1802, and took four years to complete. deeply unsatisfactory. Not only had there
Around 20 drawings survive in our col- been complaints about its appearance,
lections for the Reid and Crichton build- but as the Bank’s business and staff were
ing. They include three coloured elevations growing, it was becoming very cramped.
(north, south, and west) by the builder William The Bank’s directors asked a num-
Sibbald junior. ber of architects to come up with propos- Thomas Hamilton’s proposed south elevation for
Those of the north and south illustrate als to extend the building, and improve its the enlarged Bank of Scotland head office, 1852
the considerable challenges that the archi- appearance. Among those that submitted
tects faced in designing the building. The site designs were the eminent partnership of
was on a sharp slope, with a drop of around 16 John Peddie and Charles Kinnear, and also The Bryce Building 1860s-1870s
metres from front to back (south to north). A the Greek revivalist, Thomas Hamilton. The architect ultimately awarded the con-
more serious issue was instability. The ‘earth- Drawings and plans for both survive tract to redevelop the Mound was David
en Mound’ was a man-made hill, created from in the archive. Though quite different in Bryce. Born, raised and trained in Edin-
soil excavated during construction of the New style, they are along similar lines: exten- burgh, Bryce worked on many commercial
Town. Slippage was a serious concern, and sion of the building to the east and west, and public buildings in the city, including the
so a substantial retaining wall was added to and construction of a new façade to unify British Linen Bank head office in St Andrew
the north frontage, giving it a rather unsight- the appearance of the old and new areas of Square, and the Royal Infirmary Hospital.
ly appearance. Indeed a notable local figure, the building. Bryce submitted an initial design for
Lord Cockburn, later described the new office Around 20 drawings are from the Ped- redevelopment of the Bank of Scotland
as a ‘prominent deformity’. die and Kinnear partnership. Dating from office in 1854. It was apparently a very grand
Several floor plans also survive which pro- between 1858 to 1860, they include four proposal, and was rejected on grounds of
vide an insight into the use and layout of the different proposals for the troublesome cost. Unfortunately only one item (a floor
interior. At the centre of the ground floor was a north elevation. plan) relating to this submission appears to
‘telling room’, where customers would come in A further 13 or so are from Thom- have survived in our collection.
to do their banking. A number of plans of this as Hamilton. Dated slightly earlier (1851- A decade later, Bryce submitted a sec-
room survive dating from around 1803, show- 1852) they include two magnificent colour ond proposal which was accepted. This
ing the location of the telling tables and desks, elevations of Hamilton’s proposal for the new design, in Roman Baroque style, was
with annotations on fittings and finishings. north and south views. crowned with a high central dome. On top

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Bank of Scotland head office, prospect view of the north side, by David Bryce, 1860s

was to feature a statue of the winged god-

dess Victory – almost certainly a tribute to
the reigning monarch, Queen Victoria.
Some 30 or so plans and drawings relat-
ing to Bryce’s redevelopment of the Mound
survive in the archive, including two beauti-
ful watercolour perspectives by Bryce him-
self, showing the north and south views of
the proposed building.
Five coloured drawings also survive
showing the proposed décor of the entrance
hall and the new magnificent double height
telling room that Bryce placed at the centre
of the building. Dating from around 1870,
they are by the designer Thomas Bonnar
(the younger), and provide a rare insight into
what the interior of the building may have Bank of Scotland head office, prospect view of the south side, by David Bryce, 1860s
been like at that time.
It took many years for Bryce’s altera-
tions to be completed. Work began in 1864 Subsequent History
and was only finished in 1878. Sadly Bryce Though the exterior of the building has Most notably this included the installation
died shortly before this, in 1876. changed little since the late 1870s, the inte- of a mezzanine floor in Bryce’s telling hall,
The final result however was very close rior is a different story, as documented effectively cutting it in half and concealing
to Bryce’s original vision. One notable excep- through the architectural plans. the ornate plaster ceiling.
tion was the statue of Victory on top of the In the mid-1890s, a life was installed, Further alterations were made in the
central dome. It should have had wings, as and also a furnace for destroying banknotes decade following. It was at this point that
shown on Bryce’s south perspective [image taken out of circulation. Electric lighting was the living quarters for the Bank’s head
8]. But the design had to be modified, with introduced just before the First World War. cashier and his family on the top floor of
the wings left out; apparently they made the Major internal alterations were carried the building were converted into offices
statue too heavy and unstable. out in the 1920s to increase office space. and a new board room.

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Proposed design for banking hall interior, Bank of Scotland head office, by Thomas Bonnar (junior), 1870s. Photograph by Antonia Reeve

All images: Courtesy of Lloyds Banking

Group Archives

Further information
If you would like further information on
the architectural plans in the Bank of
Scotland archive, or indeed any aspect
Proposed design for banking hall interior, Bank of Scotland head office, by Thomas Bonnar (junior), 1870s. of the collection, please contact us at:
Photograph by Antonia Reeve archives@lloydsbanking.com
Our archives are available for research
purposes. Further information on access-
The most recent changes were made in The building on the Mound remains ing our collections can be found on our web-
2004-2006. A comprehensive renovation of the head office for Bank of Scotland to site: http://www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/
the entire interior was carried out in order this day, and it is also now the registered our-group/our-heritage/our-archives/visit-us/
to make the building fit for purpose in the office of the Bank’s parent company, Lloyds
21st century. Video conferencing and Wi-Fi Banking Group.
facilities were installed. But the centre- It continues to be a landmark on the Author profile
piece was the restoration of Bryce’s double Edinburgh skyline and Our archive will con-
height banking hall. The architects respon- tinue to tell its story, as our collection of Sian Yates is based in Edinburgh and has
sible won several awards, including for best architectural plans continues to grow. been working as an archivist at Lloyds
re-use of a listed building. Banking Group since 2001.

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The Ned and its former use as

the Midland Bank head office
Helen Wong

H
aving been the site of a Roman wharf,
a medieval poultry market, the histor-
ic church of St Mildred the Virgin and
the stomping ground of 16th century booksell-
ers and printers, the land that The Ned hotel
stands on today is part of a rich and compel-
ling history. This article explores the develop-
ment of the site by Midland Bank in the early
20th century and the construction of this mag-
nificent Grade I listed building at the centre the
City of London.
The early 20th century was a period of
rapid growth for Midland Bank (now HSBC UK),
as its branch network was steadily expanding
and major amalgamations with other financial
institutions were being pursued. Following the
acquisition of the London Joint Stock Bank in
1918, the bank’s deposits totalled nearly £300
million, making it the world’s largest banking
firm. This impressive growth was however exac-
erbating the strain on the company’s adminis-
trative resources, as demand for recruitment,
systems development and new premises were
steadily increasing. In fact, the expansion was
so great that Midland Bank was fast outgrow-
ing its head office in Threadneedle Street,
which it had occupied since 1898. A new home
was required.
An ideal solution was offered in the shape
of the former head office of the London Joint The Poultry offices under construction in 1928. Courtesy of HSBC Group Archives
Stock Bank, a substantial building located on
Princes Street in the heart of the City of Lon- head office was of crucial importance. Keen to 1939, executed by specialists and sub-contrac-
don’s lively banking community. With near- make a statement through a building of the tors from within the bank’s own customer base.
by properties including the old Poultry Chapel highest calibre and artistic design, the bank’s At its completion, it was hailed as one of the
and the Poultry frontage between St Mildred’s directors commissioned architect Sir Edwin City’s most outstanding contemporary build-
Court and Grocers’ Hall Court, the sheer size Lutyens, in collaboration with the firm of Gotch ings and described by one commentator as
and prominent location of the land on Princ- and Saunders, to undertake the project. Lutyens “a palace of Finance”.
es Street led to a natural conclusion – it would was to be responsible for designing the front ele- Lutyens, who was at the pinnacle of his
be the site of Midland Bank’s new and magnifi- vations, banking hall and stairways, safe deposit career having just witnessed the erection of
cent headquarters. corridor, board room and other principle rooms, his design of the Cenotaph in Whitehall, had
With many financial institutions of the as well as certain furniture and fixtures. Gotch already built a fruitful relationship with Mid-
1920s becoming increasingly aware of the aes- and Saunders were to take responsibility for the land Bank prior to this commission. With con-
thetic and psychological importance of con- remainder of the work and to oversee the exe- siderable support from the Chairman, Regi-
structing striking feats of architecture for branch cution of the project. The construction would nald McKenna, Lutyens was already working
premises, the choice of the architect for the new be completed in five stages between 1925 and on the design of the 196a Piccadilly branch at

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Hope Bagebal, a consultant on the acoustics,

recommended the use of Cabot quilting made
from the fibres of a treated seaweed to reduce
the echo effect; since this quilting required a
textile facing, the tapestry was an aesthetical-
ly pleasing solution. Designed by H.H. Martyn
and Co in association with Laurence Gotch, the
tapestry features the coats of arms of around
130 towns and cities where Midland Bank had
branches located at the time. After each pan-
el had been individually traced and hand-em-
broidered by a team of 54 embroiders, the fin-
ished product became the largest example of
tapestry ever produced in England at the time.
In the November of 1989, a preliminary meet-
ing which ultimately led to the foundation of
eabh was held in this very room, along with a
luncheon hosted by Midland Bank in the direc-
The Poultry offices under construction in 1928. Courtesy of HSBC Group Archives tor’s dining room.
Further instances of the green verdite
this time. He would continue on to lay claim to ground floor of the building, which the hotel’s casing leads visitors down a staircase to the
iconic branch buildings at Leadenhall Street, concierge desks and restaurants now occupy, first sub-basement, where they can find the
London and King Street, Manchester, which was once the site of the magnificent banking safe deposit, which now serves as a lounge
were all designed in collaboration with the hall of the Midland Bank head office. This space bar. Extensive research was undertaken both
architects Whinney, Son and Austen Hall. was dominated by walnut-panelled counters, at home and abroad in order to ascertain the
The new headquarters – known to staff where the bank tellers would serve their cus- most up-to-date methods of strong room
and customers as ‘Poultry’ – became a cher- tomers, along with the columns and pilasters construction until ultimately, the firm of
ished home for many decades. It remained encased in a striking green verdite marble. Chatwood Safe & Co was selected to oversee
Midland’s head office for some years after the The verdite, which is a rare volcanic rock from its installation, as their scheme was consid-
bank was acquired by HSBC in 1992. But from southern Africa, was sourced by the sub-con- ered to be ‘the work of engineers and scien-
2002, staff were gradually moved out to HSBC’s tractors, H.T. Jenkins and Son Ltd, who had tifically evolved’ in comparison to alterna-
new global headquarters at 8 Canada Square sent their associate on two occasions to trav- tive suppliers.
in the rapidly expanding Canary Wharf devel- el for miles around, investigating every district Having seen huge historical shifts, sur-
opment. The flagship branch closed its doors in which green marble was rumoured to exist. vived the Blitz and witnessed key events in
for the final time in 2007. An initial 30 tonnes of verdite was quarried and banking history, the site at Poultry has entered
The property was recently taken over by imported, followed by further deliveries. Since a new and very different phase of its history as
the Soho House group and has been trans- it could only be cut into small sections, the cas- a luxury hotel. As such, it will remain an impor-
formed into ‘The Ned’ a luxury hotel, named ing for each column and pilaster was matched tant landmark within the City of London,
in honour of Sir Edwin Lutyens. The historic up from around 1000 pieces of inlay. whilst continuing to hold a special place in the
collections held at the HSBC Archives were a A harmony in the design of discrete are- memories of all the Midland Bank staff and
hugely important resource for the designers as of the building was maintained through the customers who passed through its doors.
of The Ned as they undertook this ambitious repetition of certain raw materials and design
conversion project. The archive’s extensive motifs in the various rooms. The aforemen-
photographic collection provided inspiration tioned walnut panelling used in the bank- Author profile
for the decorative artwork that can be found ing hall for instance, made a reappearance in
in the hotel rooms. Whilst a set of 70 cor- the imposing board room along with the cost-
respondence files containing letters sent ly verdite, which was used as an inlay on the After completing a BA in French and German,
between the directors, the Premises depart- room’s four fireplaces. Now known as The Tap- Helen worked as an Archives Assistant at the
ment and various specialist and sub-contrac- estry Room, its dominating feature was and Parliamentary Archives. In 2015 she became a
tors, provided detailed insights into the early continues to be the painstakingly hand-crafted qualified archivist having graduated from Uni-
decision-making and execution of the Grade I tapestry which covers all of the walls above the versity College London with an MA in Archives
listed landmark. panelling. Far from serving a merely aesthet- and Records Management and has subse-
These photographs and files reveal a ic purpose, the tapestry was originally com- quently worked at the Harrods Archives and
great deal about the original layout and design missioned to combat the poor acoustics of the the HSBC Group Archives.
of the building in comparison to how it is being room, which would have severely hindered the
used today. For example, they reveal that the board meetings scheduled to take place there. All images: Courtesy of HSBC Group Archives

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UNIT E D K I N G DOM

A major “move” – 5 Broadgate,

UBS’s new London office building
Christian Leitz

UBS was formed on the threshold of the

20th and the 21st century. Yet, the firm has
a remarkably extensive historical root sys-
tem with its tendrils reaching back into the
19th century and across most regions of the
world. UBS’s firm historical foundations are
most prominent in three countries, Switzer-
land – where the merger that created UBS in
1998 brought together the long-established
financial firms Swiss Bank Corporation (SBC)
and Union Bank of Switzerland; the US –
where the acquisition of PaineWebber in
2000 sharply expanded UBS’s business reach
and deepened its historical foundations; and
the UK – an integral business mainstay for
UBS and a major pillar of the firm’s history.
In the UK, UBS looks back upon a colour-
ful network of corporate histories, histories UBS, 5 Broadgate, London Interior of the building
that not only impressed themselves upon
the business and cultural development of
UBS, but indeed more broadly upon the eco-
nomic history of the UK; and, more specifi-
cally, its financial centre, the City of London.
As a former Governor of the Bank of England
concluded on the founder of one of UBS’s
most distinguished predecessor firms in the
UK, “Sir Siegmund’s obvious determination
was the driving force behind a highly suc-
cessful merchant bank that was instrumen-
tal in launching the City in new directions in
the years after the Second World War.”
S.G. Warburg, the merchant bank to
which the former Governor had referred,
makes up a pivotal part of the historical evo-
lution towards UBS’s investment bank today.
Yet the contribution British firms with a his-
torical pedigree made to the development of Interior of the building
UBS extends also to the firm’s other business
divisions. Take for instance Phillips & Drew, S.G. Warburg in the mid-1980s, Rowe & Pit- exemplary case of a firm that, for most of its
established in the late 19th century, which man, Mullens, and Akroyd & Smithers. history, thrived on the connections and ties
provided a substantive component of UBS’s The histories of UBS’s antecedents in to family, friends and acquaintances its part-
institutional asset management (in the UK). the UK offer a fascinating insight into the ners had brought into the firm. With Phillips
And then there are all the other histories evolution of the City of London in the 20th & Drew, in contrast, we meet a firm that, hav-
which have left a mark upon UBS in the UK, century, its ups and downs, its quirks and, ing followed a similarly biased path for dec-
most notably SBC, present in London since above all, its significance to global finance. ades, recognised at a comparatively ear-
1898; and the firms that joined forces with With Rowe & Pitman, we chance upon the ly point the need to opt for a much more

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 UNIT ED K IN GDOM

century after various other options, includ-

ing refurbishing UBS’s existing buildings, had
been carefully considered – and discarded.
When the facts were in, the way forward was
clear. In April of 2010 UBS’s Group Execu-
tive Board committed to bringing employ-
ees together into one smart, new, collab-
orative space called 5 Broadgate. UBS
entered an agreement with property devel-
oper British Land, which in turn appointed
Make Architects, led by Ken Shuttleworth
– designer of The Gherkin.

In 2011, the journey to 5 Broadgate

commenced.

2011 - Making room to innovate

A nine-month demolition programme began
to deconstruct 2 and 6 Broadgate; piece by
Interior of the building piece, using special cranes equipment to
minimise disruption at this busy hub. 98 per
cent of waste was diverted from landfill. Bet-
ter still, 10,000 tonnes of hardcore from the
demolition was crushed on site and reused
in early construction works.
2012 – Breaking fresh ground
On 1 March, then UK Chancellor George
Osborne joined 50 guests for the 5 Broad-
gate ground-breaking ceremony. Progress
quickly gathered pace, with excavations to
create a new basement level under Broad-
gate. Samples of the pioneering exterior
were shipped from Germany in order to test
colour and reflectivity.

2013 - Onwards and upwards

With the detailed design now complete,
the first visible shoots of UBS’s new Lon-
Interior of the building don home appeared with the installation of
four twelve-storey concrete cores housing
the lifts and washrooms. The structural steel
meritocratic approach. With S.G. Warburg, UK, but also a rather unique firm due to the frame was erected and the various staircas-
we see the patent outsider that became a government brokerage function its senior es began to take shape. The signature steel
valued insider after having, in a kind of pos- partners fulfilled for two centuries. Akroyd cladding was fully tested, signed off and its
itive subversion, helped to drag a screaming & Smithers, finally, was for decades among manufacture started.
and shouting City of London into modernity - the two leading jobbing firms on the London
and thus helped it to survive and thrive. With Stock Exchange. And other firms also joined 2014 - Dressed to impress
SBC, we encounter a foreign financial insti- these main protagonists along the way, add- Following the topping-out ceremony in March,
tution that recognised at a very early point ing to UBS’s vibrant historical quilt in the UK. the 5 Broadgate building that can be seen
in its history the importance of establishing And since all these firms undertook their today was starting to emerge. The iconic exter-
a presence in London – and, more impor- manifold business activities in a diversity of nal façade was finally finished; seamlessly fash-
tantly, to become an integral part of the City, locations across the City of London, the quilt ioned from 2,000 lorry loads of prefabricated
a decision many decades later, which was was not solely historical but also geographi- panels. The mechanical and electrical guts of
emulated by the Union Bank of Switzerland. cal. Over time, with many of the firms joining the building were installed – and the first work-
With Mullens, we encounter not only the old- forces, office locations were consolidated. space mock-ups were available for UBS employ-
est part of UBS’s historical root system in the Full consolidation finally arrived in the 21st ees to experience in 100 Liverpool Street.

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UNIT E D K I N G DOM

2015 - Superior interiors

The building works were nearly complete. It
was time to turn this robust new structure
into a collaborative new workspace. In Feb-
ruary, levels 2 to 6 were handed over to UBS’s
contractors, ISG, who started the fit-out
works. By June, the developer’s construc-
tion team was finished with all twelve levels.
So it was full steam ahead with the fit-outs
across every floor.

2016 - Q1 & Q2 Smartening up

UBS’s ambition was always to make 5 Broad-
gate more than fit for purpose; it was to
make it fit for the future. From the outset,
the bank’s technology teams have worked
tirelessly to deliver a fast, simple and flex-
ible digital work environment. Early in the
year, UBS turned its attention to connectiv- Interior of the building
ity. No fewer than 28 IT hub and equipment
rooms were created, and data cabling got
under way. A 13-week migration plan was
established with around 500 people moving
in each week from 30 August 2016.

2016 - Q3 Testing, testing

Following the installation of all the furniture
into 5 Broadgate, an intense period of test-
ing and commissioning took place. UBS made
sure the building wasn’t too hot or too cold,
lunch tasted just right and everything worked
as it should. The bank also created a range of
opportunities for its employees to get a sneak
peek at their new home and provide feedback.
August - 2016 & beyond

Welcome to 5 Broadgate
User Acceptance Testing has been taking
place for each group moving into 5 Broad-
gate, four weeks ahead of each move. Interior of the building
UBS is issuing move packs, preparing wel-
come packs, and employees are waiting
with baited breath until their move date
comes around. The message is going out
to colleagues, clients and the bank’s part- with its world-class facilities and services, four and a half years I’ve been helping to
ners around the world: 5 Broadgate is makes it one of the most iconic buildings in change the way in which people work
open for business. the City of London. To have been involved across the London Campus with faster,
Embarking on the journey that led to 5 in its design – from meeting rooms and more flexible, and simplified technology.”
Broadgate has been a major experience to audio visual to production kitchens – is “The entire team has worked really hard
all involved. The following quotes by UBS really special. It’s been a magnificent pro- in the run-up to welcoming our people into
employees involved in this major project ject working with fantastic people at UBS the fantastic new building, and to ensure
provide a fitting conclusion to the project’s as well as our external architects and fit- everyone’s experience is positive from day
successful completion. out teams.” one. It’s an exciting time for you and us.
“Having been part of this project for “Working on the 5 Broadgate pro- Our aspiration is to provide fit-for-purpose
almost six years I can honestly say it’s been ject has most definitely been a highlight client, business and stakeholder support to
a labour of love. The space at 5 Broadgate, of my 29-year career at UBS. Over the last complement our world-class workplace.”

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 UNIT ED K I N GDOM

Interior of the building

Interior of the building Interior of the building

And last but certainly not least: Author profile together the agenda for the Committee and
“The scale of ambition demonstrated on prepares the accompanying documentation.
this project, at every level and by every- Christian Leitz Christian coordinates UBS’s corporate respon-
one involved, has been truly phenome- Secretary, UBS Corporate Responsibility sibility reporting and has particular responsi-
nal. We set out to create a special building Committee bilities in the area of NGO (non-governmental
designed to meet the very specific needs Head, Corporate Responsibility Management organization) communications and analysis.
of UBS and our clients. Through hard work, Corporate historian and Head, UBS He is also head of the UBS Historical Archives
imagination, boundless commitment and Historical Archives and the firm’s corporate historian, acting as
an outstanding mix of expertise, I believe As Secretary to the UBS Corporate a centre of competence for all questions per-
we have achieved our goal. The results Responsibility Committee (CRC), one of the taining to historical issues at the firm.
speak for themselves.” five Board of Directors committees, Chris-
tian assists the Committee’s Chair in putting All images: © UBS

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U SA

HSBC Bank USA

58 Bowery, New York, NY
Brigette C. Kamsler

T
he Bowery is one of the oldest streets
in New York City, having developed
over four centuries. It is one of the
original roads of New Amsterdam and the
first road connecting the emerging Dutch
settlement to outlying lands and villages
beyond Manhattan and into what are now
the other boroughs. Taverns, banks, slaugh-
terhouses, hotels and other businesses have
populated the street, along with person-
al homes. During the 19th century, the Bow-
ery was considered “the liveliest mile on the
face of the earth” and “the grand avenue of
the respectable lower classes.” The Third Ave-
nue elevated rail line was built in 1878 and
added to the usefulness of the street. By the
20th century, the Bowery changed again to a
“skid row” association, meaning an impov-
erished and disreputable area, and the ele-
vated rail line was demolished in 1955. The
area has been in a revival period since the
late 1990s. A number of Landmark build-
ings still exist from past generations in this The Manhattan Savings Bank, 58 Bowery. (Beyond My Ken - Own work. https://commons.wikimedia.
Historic District. org/wiki/File:Citizen%27s_Savings_Bank.jpg#/media/File:Citizen%27s_Savings_Bank.jpg)
The land on which the structure at
58 Bowery stands also has historic signif- The Citizens’ Savings Bank was organized by Bowery. For more than 10 years it had been
icance. The corner lot saw plenty of foot publicly conscious residents to give those of home to another bank – rather confusingly
traffic. Nearby was a tavern at 46-48 Bow- small means living in the neighborhood an named Citizens’ Bank, even though the two
ery called the Bull’s Head Tavern, and the opportunity to deposit their savings. institutions were entirely separate! The plot
Black Horse Inn stood at 53-54 Bowery. Per- Many of the first trustees were notable was described as having “a twenty-five-foot
haps the most historically significant event men of the community. George Folsom was frontage on the west side of the Bowery and
to happen on the site occurred in late 1783. elected President and the Vice-Presidents extending about eighty-four feet along the
A plaque on the side of the current building were Andreas Willmann and Daniel Butter- southerly side of Walker Street, formerly St.
reads in part: “Here General George Wash- field. The bank quickly gained depositors; Nicholas Street, and now Canal Street.” Cit-
ington began his triumphal march into the first two years combined saw deposits of izens’ Savings Bank moved to the basement
the city upon its evacuation by the British less than $100,000, but by the end of the fifth in 1862, and purchased the property in 1864.
November 25, 1783.” The Bull’s Head Tavern year the figure totaled over $1 million dol- As business flourished, they boldly bought
was replaced in the mid-1820s by the Bow- lars. In 1866 that figure increased nearly one up adjoining lands in later years.
ery Theater, and later the corner of Bowery hundred per cent. From 01 January 1866, According to the book Citizens’ Sav-
and Canal was the site of a dry goods store to 01 January 1869, the amount on deposit ings Bank: its Founders, History and Homes,
owned by Peter Durando. grew from $1,739,349 to $5,136,732. 1860-1924, the bank fulfilled its mission to
Some years later the street would also The small plot the bank inhabited at cater for the residents of the neighborhood
become home to Citizens’ Savings Bank, Avenue A was quickly outgrown, and anoth- of “small means”:
which was established in 1860 at No. 13 Ave- er solution was needed. Their eye was quick- “Out of 308,000 depositors who had
nue A, between First and Second Streets. ly drawn to the attractive prospect of 58 opened accounts before 1910, nearly 78,000

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 USA

were women or minors, 42,000 were tailors,

13,500 were clerks, 12,000 were laborers,
11,600 were peddlers, 10,000 were operators
and salesmen. Cigar-makers, shoemakers,
bakers, butchers and grocers formed other
large groups. One hundred and thirty-six pur-
suits or occupations were represented in the
list of depositors. Germans, Russians, Ameri-
cans, Poles, Austrians and Irish were the prin-
cipal nationalities represented. The majori-
ty of the depositors were under thirty years
of age on opening their accounts. Of the total
deposits…the large majority were less than
fifty dollars in amount”.
Eventually even the Citizens’ Bank build-
ing at 58 Bowery became too small, and a
new, larger structure was in order.
Clarence Wilson Brazer was chosen as Manhattan: Bowery - Canal Street. (Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History, Local
architect of the new building, with the con- History and Genealogy, The New York Public Library. “Manhattan: Bowery - Canal Street” The New York
struction contract awarded to William L. Crow Public Library Digital Collections. 1929 - 1904. http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47dd-235c-
a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99)
Construction Company. Brazer was main-
ly known for his work in Pennsylvania. Oth-
er historic buildings he designed include the a rusticated street level façade. Charles Keck,
State Capitol in St. Paul, Minnesota and the whose work became well-known in mid-20th
U.S. Customs House in Lower Manhattan. century, designed the sculptures, which were
Construction began in 1922 and was complet- intended to be visible to passengers on the for-
ed in 1924: mer Third Avenue elevated rail line. Elements
“The building is approximately 110 feet in the sculptures were drawn from Citizens’
high. It is surmounted by a low dome. Light Savings Bank’s seal. The monumental and
Barre granite, considered the most durable of impressive building was designed to instill con-
building stones and the best fitted for monu- fidence and strength in the stability of the insti-
mental structures, was chosen for the exten- tution, and it quickly became a distinctive fea-
sion of the building. The main banking room ture of the Bowery landscape for generations
is 75 feet wide, 85 feet deep, and nearly 70 feet to come, yet not overwhelm them.
high. A large horse-shoe desk encloses the Citizens’ Savings Bank merged into
great vault which is the main feature of the the Manhattan Savings Institution in 1942.
room a teller may make payments at the rate The Manhattan Savings Institution was
of two a minute. The great vault is of concrete acquired by Republic New York Corpora-
covered with Travertine marble, and having tion in 1990, which was purchased by HSBC
three layers of alternate soft and hard steel, in 1999. The Beaux-Arts building at 58 Bow-
and wires concealed within layers of steel. ery achieved Landmark status in 2011 by Manhattan Savings Bank 1956 (Irma and
The floor of the room is tiled with Onondaga unanimous vote by the New York City Land- Paul Milstein Division of United States History,
marble, and the vestibules are ornamented marks Preservation Commission. It operates Local History and Genealogy, The New York
Public Library. “Bowery Street #50-58” The
with Gorham bronze. The building outside of as the Chinatown HSBC Branch today. New York Public Library Digital Collections.
the main banking room is well equipped for 1887 - 1986. http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/
official business. On the upper floor under the items/510d47e2-029a-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99)
dome are the trustees’ board room and din- Author profile
ing rooms for the officers and the clerks. The
basement contains rest and recreation rooms
and a revolver range for the clerical force”. Brigette C. Kamsler is the U.S. Corporate Archi-
The façade was embellished by elabo- vist for HSBC. Prior to her work at the bank, she
rate carved stone ornamentation, including was Archivist at the Burke Library at Union Theo-
a Native American and a Dutch Sailor, sym- logical Seminary, one of the Columbia University
bols of New York City, flanking a clock crown- libraries; and the Archivist and Research Center
ing the Bowery façade, carved beehives, mon- Coordinator at the Historical Society of Frederick
umental arches, other prominent statuary and County, Maryland.

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ISSN 2219-0643