tamassociati: banca popolare etica, padua

‘banco popolare etica’ by tam associati, padua, italyimage © tamassociati

the new headquarters for ‘banca popolare etica‘ by tam associati makes manifest an architecture that expresses the institution’s commitment to accessible finance and ethically oriented banking. the company’s pointed awareness of the non-economic consequences of economic actions is reflected in the sensitivity of the new edifice to existing ‘liberty style’ structures. this italian iteration of art nouveau is particular in its use of sculptural tendrils and moldings as well as particularly elegant sinuous forms. the headquarters abstracts these ideas into a responsive building, taking care to follow the intersecting curved volumes into public green areas that additionally regulate energy consumption and harmful emissions. the poetry of the richly grained wood cladding punctured by orthogonal apertures appropriately expresses the bank’s operation theory of maximum transparency as a main condition of a financial institution working toward collective well-being. 

overall view of the curved headquarters in the ‘liberty style’ context image © giulia fedel 

view of the wood-clad reconstructed volume

image © marcello bonfanti 

the prefabricated wood is part of a greater overall commitment to responsible, renewable materials image © tamassociati

the building is meant to manifest the prevalent social values of the financial institution image © tamassociati

sinuous masses are part of an abstracted nod to art nouveau forms image © tamassociati

transparency and participation are principles made manifest through the built form image © giulia fedel 

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view of the sweeping green roof image © tamassociati

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the ‘liberty style’ curved mass is reconstructed with eco-friendly materials image © giulia fedel

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conference space image © giulia fedel 

interiors make manifest a helpful, ethically oriented program image © ettore bellini 

the irregular apertures show through the wooden interiors image © ettore bellini

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(left): curved hallway view image © marcello bonfanti 

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(right): interiors incorporate the processed and the natural 

image © tamassociati 

interiors are light-filled and airy image © tamassociati

sustainable systems were at the curx of the renovationimage © tamassociati

image © tamassociati

‘banco popolare etica’ by tamassociati, padua, italyimage © tamassociati

view of the slatted exterior image © tamassociati

the building enjoys generous green spaces image © marcello bonfanti 

view up toward the wooden facade image © tamassociati

image © tamassociati

night views image © tamassociati

in progress view of the reconstructed art nouveau volumeimage © tamassociati

construction view image © tamassociati

elevation

image © tamassociati

(left): roof plan (right): floor plan level 0

image © tamassociati