Banque Bruxelles Lambert
Mario Botta Architect
Geneve, Switzerland
Terri
Meyer Boake B.E.S. B.Arch. M.Arch.
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Banque Bruxelles Lambert Mario Botta Architect Geneve, Switzerland
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About the building: This bank by Mario Botta is located in downtown Geneva. I had the fortune of a private tour of the bank through friends who live in Geneva. Touring a Swiss bank is not an easy task without connections. Taking photos of the interior is even more difficult. Swiss banks are renowned for their privacy. There are discrete entrances through which "clients" enter. No one client may see that another is in the building to protect identities. There are separate elevators in various parts of the building for client service and all meetings take place in private offices. There is no teller "line-up". To open a Swiss bank account, the opening deposit must range between $US500,000 for the "poorer" clients, and above $US1,000,000 for more important clients.
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Bank
logo at top beneath cornice. |
View
from street. |
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Oblique
view from street. Parking on both sides permits daylight to enter all
sides of the building. |
View
down side of penthouse level. Daylighting access from all angles at the
top. |
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View
up front of building. Tall window provides light to atrium. |
View
along side of building. All offices have windows. Again very deep set
to give an air of privacy. |
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At one entrance
with skylight to basement quarters. |
View up glazing
to atrium on side of building. |
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The stone appears
striped. It is all of one type with banding provided by alternating rows
of smooth and bushhammered finishes. |
Window details.
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The images on this site have been taken for use in my teaching. They may be copied for educational purposes. Please give credit. These images may not be reproduced commercially without written consent.
last updated March 8, 2008 |
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