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any of us think of banks as places where transactions occur. Money is deposited and withdrawn;
people come and go. Typical branches are built
with this in mind, mostly sticking with an austere cookie-cutter
design with the goal of effciently getting customers in and out.
Benefcial Bank wanted to change this model and create a welcoming environment where customers could learn about their
fnances. DAS Architects was tasked with translating this vision
into a design that would help Benefcial achieve its goals.
The frst step was the research. DAS
conducted extensive interviews and discussion
with the bank to make sure everybody was on the
same page. Benefcial wanted to take a topic that is
sometimes overwhelming – money – and present
it to customers in a unique and engaging way –
one that would make people want to hang out
instead of quickly running off to their next errand.
To distance itself from the old way of banking, Benefcial Bank chose to brand the buildings
in Springfeld and Devon, Pa., as its "campuses."
Not only were these campuses designed in a
signifcantly different way than previous branches, but they also were designed like a university
campus – with the purpose of providing educational resources to the community.
september : october 2013 — CommerCial ConstruCtion & renovation
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