‘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
view of the sweeping green roof image © tamassociati
the ‘liberty style’ curved mass is reconstructed with eco-friendly materials image © giulia fedel
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
(left): curved hallway view image © marcello bonfanti
(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
