Savings Bank Kiel

Together with the town hall, the opera house and other buildings within the city embankments, the ensemble of the Sparkasse Kiel shapes the impression of the face of “little Kiel”. The complex, which is comprised of the existing historical listed building, and the extension from 1974, was originally connected by a freeform banking hall stretching between the buildings, which linked the two buildings without responding to the urban context. The new banking hall responds to the existing buildings, yet it attains an individual identity. The hallmark of the building is the roof: arched concrete barrell-vaults span throughout the bank, cantilevering wide onto the  Lorentzendamm side, and together with the forecourt, form a representative entrance. In addition to their structural purpose, the pre-cast elements fulfill other important roles: integrated capillary mats ensure the cooling of the banking hall; generous openings emphasise particular areas of the hall, and allow light to enter; while sections of the surfaces serve to optimise the acoustics. Through it’s clear form, the banking hall which was opened in 1996, can be read as a clearly defined area. It defines the various buildings of the Sparkasse, and makes itself evident as an element of an overall composition.