The working area of a financial institution must be both comfortable and modern. It should include a space for the work with the financial documents outfitted with modern office equipment, and a space to work with the visitors of various client groups -mass, VIP, etc. It shouldn't be forgotten that a bank is, by definition, a repository of large amounts of money and other valuables. Therefore, when considering the office interior design, one must solve three major problems: firstly, verify the functionality of the room, secondly, ensure convenient work with the bank's customers, and thirdly, create comfortable conditions for the employees.

NATIONAL FEATURES

Strange as it may seem, not only the specifics of the bank's business, but also its "homeland" may be judged by the outfit of its office. For example, in the U.S. banks are homing in with a view to immediate financial assistance, when the majority of issues can be settled over the phone. Therefore, the management of the financial and credit organizations there do not seek to create a rich entourage, but instead place greater emphasis on the universalization and efficiency of the premises. Inexpensive materials, prefabricated and portable structures are used in creating the office interiors.

The European bankers stick to a different point of view. For them, the design of a bank is an exclusive job, in which each customer's individual style is created with the use of expensive, high-quality and rare materials. This view is supported by more than 500 years of the European banks' work, and centuries of customer service experience.

The Russian financial and credit organizations are much younger than their American and European "peers", so it is not surprising that they adopt some design standards from the U.S. banks, and other - from the European colleagues. However, the European style prevails as yet. In modern Russia, of course, the banks specializing in fast customer services, such as instant credits, can also be found. A reception desk, a small office space and a secure safe zone suffice for such banks. For this purpose, office partitions of different types, often easily installable constructions are widely used in the organization of the banks' internal space. But, again, fast service banks in Russia are rather an exception than a rule. Therefore, most of our financial and credit organizations pay special attention to the design issues.

Of course, when choosing the office design, another factor matters as well - the banks' desire to emphasize their individuality, their difference from the numerous competitors. Any point of sale of the bank's products and services must be consistent with the corporate standards, that is, its outfit must accord with the uniform design solution. This should consist in the basic color scheme, logos, and advertising signs. The main objective of such design is to improve the bank awareness and, ideally, to enhance the customer's loyalty to the bank.

COMFORT AS FACTOR OF CHOICE

Any bank interior development involves the division of the occupied area into two zones: the front office and the back office.

The front office (or the open space, as it is often called) is the part of the bank designated for the direct customer services. Because of that, the front office must be spacious in order to avoid hustle and bustle. Accordingly, it should be a large enough area not divided with main walls. The standard design of the front offices includes various types of office partitions, furniture for the waiting area, information desks, and cash office windows. This space is easily transformed with fixed partitions used to make isolated workplaces for the bank's operations staff. Portable partitions are also widely used - they allow for prompt "zoning". Thus, comfort is created not only for the bank's visitors, but for its employees as well.

The main challenge of the design solution for this area is to create a convenient and relaxed psychological atmosphere for the clients. The experts admit that the visitors' comfort factor is gaining importance: the competition between the banks is intensifying, the product lines are becoming more similar, which means that the customers are increasingly making their choice on a "like - dislike" basis. Of course, as it was before, one of the main choice factors is the quality of service in the front office. But along with that, visitors are beginning to pay attention to how they spend their time until the moment they get advice or the requested transaction is performed. With this regard, the interior design ideas are being adjusted: the bankers and the designers seek not only to make the bank offices spacious, but also to select specific colors, furniture and even carpets.

BACK OFFICE - LAST BUT NOT LEAST

The back office - the inside working area of the bank - comprises the offices of the staff and the managers. It is also divided into two parts: personal offices and special rooms for the storage of documents, cash and other valuables.

Typical office design principles are used to create the interiors of the staff offices. Comfort and convenience are to be ensured by the use of modern office furniture. Such furniture is distinguished by high resistance to wear, shock and mechanical stress. The modern office furniture is often characterized by special ergo-nomic shapes and sizes.

Fixed partitions allowing for the isolated spaces for departments or managers are successfully used in zoning the office premises. A design solution is often used where some of the partitions are "solid" (up to the ceiling), while the others are "shortened". The short partitions are designed to improve the natural air circulation in the room, which is important for the employees spending at least 8 hours daily at their workplaces.

In the outfitting of the top-rank executives' offices partitions with hinged panels and partitions decorated with fine-wood veneer are used. The aim is obvious - the banks seek to emphasize the unique image of their top executives' premises, to focus on the respectability and exclusive-ness of such offices. However, not only the rich individuality of the rooms, but also their complete sound insulation must be considered. The confidentiality of information is an indispensable condition of any bank. It may be ensured with soundproof partitions enabling to conduct business meetings and negotiations.

Many banking institutions have separate VIP-client service divisions. The design of their premises is an integral part of the VIP services offered to the honored guests. In addition to the confidentiality and sound insulation requirements described above, VIP-areas should reflect the individual approach to the customers, demonstrate the high level of the bank's corporate culture.

The fit out of the special rooms designed for the storage of documents and other valuables, safe zones, depositories, etc., does not require refined taste and expensive materials. But that does not mean the task is less complicated for the banks. Outfitting the safe zones suggests stricter security requirements, and therefore ensuring structural strength and fire safety becomes of foremost significance. For this purpose, fire walls with a higher thermal insulation and pressure-sealing levels, as well as massive doors are used.