The New Look in Bank Lobbies.

• Author: Albro, Walt
• Position: Bank architecture - Brief Article

As banks begin to act more like retail establishments, they're also beginning to look more like retail establishments.

"Banking has definitely gone more retail, and lobbies now tend to be more open than in the past," says architect Terry Barker, of River Street Architecture in Chattanooga, Tenn. That means, among other things, "more light, more natural lighting, less furniture."

In part, he says, the new look is a function of economics. Real estate, building costs, energy costs are all rising, which means that banks tend to be smaller than in the past. Institutional is out; comfy-cozy is in.

Of course, there's no reason that a community bank or a neighborhood branch office needs to look like the big Citibank office downtown. In fact, there are all sorts of reasons why it shouldn't.

Now, as in the past, banks are taking into account the peculiar demographics of the neighborhoods they serve. The result is a flood of variations on lobby design--some of which look like upscale boutiques--others of which look like fast food outlets or private gentlemen's clubs.

At Easton Town Center, near Columbus, Ohio, Huntington National Bank's branch bank does business in a facility, designed by Willey Brothers of Rochester, N. H., that looks a lot like home. The client...