Halstead Bank

North Maize Road, Sedgwick County, KS, United States

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Halstead Bank

North Maize Road, Sedgwick County, KS, United States

Firm

YEAR

2008

SIZE

5000 sqft - 10,000 sqft

BUDGET

$1M - 5M

The challenge for this project was to introduce the urban area to a rural institution with a long family history and deep roots in central Kansas. This branch facility required a progressive solution while paying homage to its 125 year history. It was critical to express a sense of permanence while engaging the public with an open retail feel. The site is located on an expanding retail corridor on the fringe of a metropolitan area. Retail strip centers fast food restaurants along with empty fields waiting to be developed surround the project site.

The building was divided into four general areas consisting of, lobby, transaction, loan, and back of house. The areas were separated by thick Kansas native limestone walls symbolizing fences that separate fields which are often created from the stone removed from crop fields. Steel lintels through these walls were exposed and articulated to express the massiveness and weight of the stone they support.

The lobby area is expressed by large areas of glass that face North and East. The entry is articulated by a low canopy providing protection before entering the larger volume of the space. A custom designed reception desk greets the customer upon arrival. The transaction and loan areas are easily accessible and visible from the lobby. A coffee lounge with a lower ceiling sits between the lobby and board room.

The transaction area is accessible through a complete cut in the limestone wall to express accessibility. This zone houses the vault entrance which is located in the massive stone wall to express security and permanence. The tellers and drive thru are also within this zone. The board room is entered into from the lobby space through the stone wall with large glass doors implying a sense of solitude while maintaining a transparent public presence.

The loan area is accessed from the lobby through an incomplete cut in the limestone wall to represent a more private area. From the exterior this space is housed in a brick box with punched openings to give a sense of privacy while representing the office function.

The back of house area is accessed through a smaller opening from the loan area discouraging access. This space is also located in a brick box but with larger openings allowing more natural light into the work and break areas. On the exterior this zone also houses the trash and transformer enclosure along with a well lit employee entrance.