PARK BANK
“ As a small but rapidly growing privately-owned bank , Park Bank was looking to upgrade their image ,” says architect Colin Godding , who runs Architecture CSG with his wife Sharon , an interior designer . “ They were looking for a more contemporary feel , wanting to convey elegance without going overboard .
“ We basically pulled the materials from the lobby , from which the big radiused Bee ’ s- wing Eucalyptus wall travels into the bank space . Budget and availability were issues , so we picked quarter-figured Beech to go along with it because it finished out closely in color . Carley helped a lot by bringing in samples and flitches , and we hand-selected from those . They worked very well together .”
“ The finished space has an elegance , a nice warm feel that ’ s not overbearing . We did some fun things with the lighting , combining wood and aluminum , and using a little bit of color in some of the fabrics . We wanted to give them something that wouldn ’ t look dated for quite some time .”
The Block 89 project launched Architecture CSG into an ongoing relationship with Park Bank , with several new branches and remodels in the works . Godding says he ’ s bringing different exotic species into play , such as Bosse , Makore , and European Steamed Beech .
LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE BUREAU
Wisconsin ’ s Legislative Reference Bureau was moving to Block 89 from cramped , disjointed quarters . LRB wanted to make a classical design statement , but was saddled with a very tight budget .
“ Put simply , these are resource people : attorneys and others who research the history of legislation and need a quiet place to work and meet with their clientele ,” says Mike Gordon , architect for Potter Lawson Inc .
“ Wood rose to the top very quickly as the material of choice to give them the feel they wanted . We wanted to give them a classical feel , but also to make sure the space would fit in with the other Block 89 environments . This led us to use African Mahogany .
“ We wanted to keep it simple and economical , and to spread the impact of the wood over as large an area as possible . To make the most of the public areas of their suite , we created a framework of beams and columns that extend from the elevator lobby outside their space into the reception area . Wherever you walk in the public areas , you are walking through a grid of Mahogany columns .”
“ As we got into the detail of designing the space , we developed a vocabulary of Mahogany panels for the areas of the most public contact , like counter faces , which we would then repeat vertically and horizontally . The frames are solid wood , and the panels are a veneer flitch of a different character , which creates a subtle but rich contrast . The columns were quite large , so we created a similar expression – there ’ s a border , a frame , and an infill panel , just on a different scale .”
“ The African Mahogany here is stained darker than in the Legislative Fiscal Bureau ,” says Carley . “ It ’ s a much more traditional design , bordering on art deco , with pilasters , capitols and plinths .”
24 IMPORTED WOOD