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Article from issue 7+8/2009 »Glass Construction (also available as English Edition 5/2009)«

Bank in Bilbao

documentation p. 721 - 724
Architect No.Mad Arquitectos | Structural Engineer Alfonso Robles |

Drafts
1:10 Sectional details
1:200 Floor plan
1:200 Sections

This new branch of a bank occupies the ground floor and basement of an existing building in city-centre Bilbao. The main entrance, an opaque black sliding glass door, flanked by two windows with bamboo plants, presents a neutral but intriguing street face. The aim was to achieve a clear yet subtle separation between public and private space. Inside, the message of transparency is expressed in a snaking glass membrane. Floor-to-ceiling borosilicate glass tubes are aligned vertically in a continuous wall. The glass keeps light levels high, while its curved surfaces distort the view into the meeting rooms. The only gaps are for two service counters. Black is used for the public areas, grey for the offices.