Sugamo Shinkin Bank / Tokiwadai Branch | emmanuelle moureaux architecture + design

Emmanuelle handled the architectural and interior design by basing around "leaf". The facade of the building features silhouettes of trees and an assortment of 14 colors windows arranged in a rhythmical pattern that transforms the facade itself into signage. ATMs and teller windows are located on the first floor, along with 3 courtyards and an open space. The second storey houses the loan section, reception rooms, offices and 4 courtyards, while the third floor is reserved for facilities for staff use. Thanks to the 7 light-filled courtyards, each of these spaces is loosely connected to all the others. A constellation of leaves in 24 different colors growing on the white branches of the walls and glass windows overlaps with the natural foliage of the real trees in the courtyards, creating the sensation of being in a magical forest.