{"id":146591,"date":"2019-07-24T18:18:09","date_gmt":"2019-07-24T16:18:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hoyez.com\/?p=146591"},"modified":"2019-07-24T11:19:13","modified_gmt":"2019-07-24T09:19:13","slug":"credit-du-nord-is-reinventing-the-rules-of-bank-branch-design-focus-on-projects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hoyez.com\/en\/credit-du-nord-is-reinventing-the-rules-of-bank-branch-design-focus-on-projects\/","title":{"rendered":"Cr\u00e9dit du Nord is reinventing the rules of bank branch design – Focus on Projects"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Cr\u00e9dit du Nord\u2019s headquarters, connected to a large branch, is located in the heart of the capital of the “Hauts-de-France”. The financial institution recently decided to make this “Lille” branch its flagship; an example for its other branches to replicate; a model that breaks all the traditional rules of the banking sector. The management\u2019s objective was to create a 1,300-m2 space synonymous with openness and transparency\u00a0 in terms of company projects and exchanges, and be able to offer new services; a place where clients, advisors, administrative staff, and partners can meet, work, discuss, and learn together. In short, a space just like Cr\u00e9dit du Nord, a bank that is part of its region\u2019s economic life, and goes well beyond its original job. Ingerop and Atrait, an interior design firm, rose to the challenge by successfully creating the Lille branch\u2014a bank branch for today and tomorrow.<\/p>\n

Upon <\/b>entering <\/b>Cr\u00e9dit<\/b> du <\/b>Nord\u2019s Lille-<\/b>Rihour<\/b> branch, <\/b>the <\/b>spirit of the place\u00a0 can be felt immediately. <\/b>E<\/b>verything <\/b>is open and transparent, from the <\/b>workshop’s huge glass roof to <\/b>the small <\/b>\u201ccabana rooms\u201d. It is <\/b>completely <\/b>unprecedented <\/b>for a bank. <\/b>Everything (or just about it) <\/b>is accessible to all\u00a0<\/b>employees <\/b>branch <\/b>, <\/b>clients, and prospective clients.<\/b><\/p>\n

STANDARD H7 PARTITIONS \u2013 TRANSPARENCY<\/p>\n

A \u201cwow factor\u201d guaranteed<\/h2>\n

The<\/b> forum <\/b>(photo 3) <\/b>is fitted with a large retractable screen for hosting in situ conferences, screenings, or events. The kiosk (photo 5), <\/b>a large bar, serves drinks during events. The <\/b>central agora (photo 1<\/b>)<\/b>, equipped with large worktables, is open to branch advisers as well as visitors who need to sit and work for a moment. The <\/b>lodges (photos 1-2)<\/b>, strange little structures made of wood and glass, provide privacy for more silent discussions with clients.<\/p>\n

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2- The lodges<\/p><\/div>\n

The branch\u2019s only limited-access area is called the <\/b>workshop <\/b>(photo 6<\/b>).<\/b> Sheltered by a large glass wall, the open space serves as a collaborative workspace for advisors.<\/p>\n

There aren\u2019t any designated offices in this space. Like nomads, everyone moves around freely from <\/b>one space to another<\/b>. <\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cIn addition, <\/i>there<\/i> are <\/i>the clubs <\/i><\/b>(photo 4),<\/b> VIP lounges enclosed in glass, where our advisors receive their top clients in comfortable, soundproof spaces, as well as <\/i>the hive <\/i><\/b>(photo 7), <\/b>a place for collaborative creation made readily available to us, our clients, and our partners,\u201d <\/i>explains the Cr\u00e9dit du Nord (Nord-de-France) logistics and organization manager.<\/p>\n

“Our objective <\/i>was <\/i>to use this space as a medium to bolster the bank\u2019s <\/i>transformation <\/i>and <\/i>propose an innovative <\/i>concept. Various employee teams reflected for months <\/i>about what our <\/i>clients expect <\/i>from a physical <\/i>branch, and this is the fruit of that labor,\u201d <\/i>says the logistics manager.<\/p>\n

A bank branch where you feel at home, welcomed <\/b>into enclosed glass cabins that blend <\/b>privacy, <\/b>brightness, <\/b>and openness to the <\/b>\u201coutside\u201d, converted into cozy lounges and offices<\/b>. <\/b>The workspaces are designed to promote a collaborative atmosphere that combines performance and goodwill.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe <\/i>concept <\/i>was actually invented by <\/i>the architects of Cr\u00e9dit du Nord<\/i>,\u201d <\/i>explains the architect in charge of the project. \u201cWe <\/i>took <\/i>over the reins and found the aesthetic solutions <\/i>to <\/i>carry it out. <\/i>We <\/i>designed <\/i>atypical <\/i>spaces<\/i> like the lodges\u2014little huts made of glass and wood where small committees can maintain their privacy. Our aim was to use glazed modular partitions with lightweight industrial-like framework throughout the space\u2014combining <\/i>ease of assembly <\/i>and<\/i> sophistication<\/i>. <\/i>We chose the <\/i>H7 <\/i><\/u>Transparence<\/i><\/u> partitions, which in my opinion <\/i>were <\/i>the only ones <\/i>suited to building <\/i>our <\/i>little huts<\/i>. The <\/i>frames <\/i>are very <\/i>slim <\/i>and <\/i>elegant<\/i>. <\/i>With regard to the roof junctions, we wouldn\u2019t have been able to achieve as sharp an angle <\/i>with another product while <\/i>maintaining high <\/i>acoustic quality. The same goes for <\/i>the entirely glazed <\/i>VIP <\/i>lounges, for which we used 3-meter high partitions placed side <\/i>by <\/i>side.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n

For the perfect combination of beauty and acoustic performance, the VIP areas have beautiful black doors fitted with transoms. \u201cWe recommended a <\/i>special coating for these <\/i>doors\u2014a layer <\/i>of <\/i>velvet-like <\/i>laminate that the manufacturer <\/i>Hoyez<\/i> managed to <\/i>create for us <\/i>in time<\/i>,\u201d <\/i>says the Atrait firm. At the back of the huge branch, the workshop seems strangely void of any storage space despite the presence of employees. \u201cActually, <\/i>we <\/i>designed <\/i>a base cabinet that <\/i>provides <\/i>16 meters of linear storage. <\/i>The <\/i>Hoyez<\/i> partition provided an advantage once again: <\/i>the aluminum <\/i>frames <\/i>are very light, <\/i>\u00a0so we were able to place <\/i>the partitions on <\/i>top of the <\/i>wooden <\/i>furniture<\/i>,\u201d adds the architect.<\/p>\n

The impression of lightness is emphasized by the thin frame\u2014the size of 2 euro coin\u2014which supports a glass wall that is over 2 meters high.<\/a><\/p>\n

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\u201cWe <\/i>are delighted with the <\/i>results,\u201d <\/i>smiles the contractor. \u201cThe <\/i>reactions are really <\/i>positive. The Lille-<\/i>Rihour<\/i> site definitely has the <\/i>w<\/i>ow factor. <\/i>It’s <\/i>totally <\/i>consistent with our image and the <\/i>messages <\/i>we want <\/i>to convey.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n

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3- The forum<\/p><\/div>\n

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4- the clubs<\/p><\/div>\n

THE OPINION of our partner DISTRIBUTOR & INSTALLER :<\/h3>\n

Roger Vanderstraeten,\u00a0 SACINORD*<\/p>\n

\u201cThe <\/i>Korus <\/i>firm <\/i>entrusted us <\/i>with installing <\/i>the modular partitions <\/i>for <\/i>this <\/i>project, and we were given <\/i>a very <\/i>precise bill of specifications. <\/i>The <\/i>operative word <\/i>being transparency, we had <\/i>250 m2 of <\/i><\/b>H7 Transparence <\/i><\/b>partitions to <\/i><\/b>install in <\/i><\/b>3 weeks. <\/i><\/b>It wasn’t all that complicated, <\/i>since we <\/i>were already <\/i>familiar with <\/i>Hoyez<\/i> products. <\/i><\/p>\n

We <\/i>cut the partitions f<\/i>or <\/i>the lodges <\/i>(cabanas) on site, <\/i>so <\/i>\u00a0that they would fit the wooden roofs perfectly. <\/i>To fit the w<\/i>orkshop\u2019s glass wall, <\/i>we <\/i>used 4 to 500 <\/i>mm <\/i>wide modules <\/i>with black <\/i>sections, <\/i>giving the <\/i>whole space<\/i> a <\/i>very <\/i>workshop-like look. The VIP <\/i>lounges were <\/i>built using side-by-side <\/i>double-glazed partitions measuring <\/i>3.2 meters high. Even this <\/i>extraordinary <\/i>height posed <\/i>no <\/i>problem, as we simply had to <\/i>respect the DTU <\/i>39 and use 66\/2 – 13 mm <\/i>tempered <\/i>glass. <\/i>In fact, what’s great about <\/i><\/b>Hoyez<\/i><\/b> partitions <\/i><\/b>is that they <\/i><\/b>allow total freedom. <\/i><\/b>Architects can give free rein to their <\/i>imaginations, <\/i>which <\/i>is what they <\/i>did! <\/i><\/p>\n

*A family business that employs a dozen people, Sacinord was created in 2001 by Roger Vanderstraeten. A former construction manager at Hoyez, he has expert knowledge of the products manufactured by France\u2019s modular partition specialist.<\/p>\n

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5- The kiosk<\/p><\/div>\n

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6 & 7 – the workshop and the hives<\/p><\/div>\n

Do you have a fit out project ?<\/h3>\n

Don’t hesitate to contact us, we will come back to you asap.<\/p>\n\n

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Contact<\/h3>\n <\/div>\n