The Journey
“Our designs and strategies helped them [FSCB] bring their ideas and concepts about the industry and the way they operate to life,” says Bruce Wolferding, Vice President of Business Development at NewGround. “This is their flagship location, the first project of many. This is a huge step for them and is extremely important for them, and this will set the tone for many other future projects.”
One of the key design features that FSCB aimed to implement was reducing the size of their lobby. The previous lobby of this location was cavernous, huge, and intimidating. They wanted to move their tellers further up, closer to the customers, and create office space behind the teller area. They needed a functional update to the branch as well since it was 20 years old and in heavy need of technological upgrades. NewGround designers and architects made sure to keep all of these concepts at the front of their designs. We added an ATM wall, cash counter, and cash recycler to their design, and surrounded them with warm, inviting colors and rich wooden textures.
While many financial institutions grow their presence through ground-up locations, some institutions, like FSCB, prefer to develop their business through mergers and bank acquisitions. This is a common business strategy, but can sometimes lead to locations feeling muddled, confused, and meshed together as a result of conflicting designs from the previous owners. Mergers are a smart business venture but making sure that the space is updated to reflect the new branding is critically important to maintaining customer loyalty.
FSCB needed to create a new look and feel for their space without alienating their pre-existing customer base. NewGround needed to elevate who they were throughout their branches instead of starting from scratch with a brand-new idea. When designing the flagship branch, NewGround environmental designers decided to create a heritage and culture wall. The culture wall showcases the rich history of FSCB while still providing a fresh, new, and interesting centerpiece for customers. They incorporated wooden textures and colors, as well as a deep rich green that pairs well with the otherwise bright interior. They also kept some of the traditional details like molded ceilings but provided a fresh perspective with new paint colors and an open layout.
