Bank branch BCEE, Mondercange (LUX)

project conversion and reconstruction of a former farmhouse with barn into a bank branch client BCEE Luxemburg (LUX) complete architecture services WW+, Esch-sur-Alzette/Trier (LUX/GER) civil engineering Simtech, Luxembourg (LUX) technical engineering Housetech, Luxembourg (LUX) gfa 601 m² ufa 343 m² gv 2.250 m³ total area 1.212 m² start of planning 12/2009 realisation 10/2011 - 03/2013

The conversion of an old farmhouse into a bank branch in the centre of Mondercange has been instrumental in preserving some of the structures that used to characterise Mondercange’s townscape but are now in decline. The farmhouse was part of a traditional row of houses evocative of the character of the historical town centre and so the challenge of the farmhouse conversion was to combine the traditional and the modern: to align a former agricultural function with the present-day creative and technical demands of a bank. A bank that also seeks a representative presence in the town centre. Against this background, the character of the old-style front façade and its openings has been preserved. The height of the eaves and the ridges is in line with adjacent structures; the former barn door provides a lavish entrance for customers. A passage is created between the bank and the neighbouring building to provide an important connection for pedestrians between the newly designed town centre, the public areas situated at the rear of the bank (town hall, cultural centre, etc.) and the spacious car park.

As far as the interior of the bank is concerned, the two storeys of the old structure have been transformed into a ground floor and a first floor with gallery character. Generous glass openings, especially in the rear part of the building, allow for sufficiently light rooms in spite of the comparatively small windows in the front part. The corporate identity of the bank is translated into a modern architectural language and further reflected in the wall colour of the entrance area and other parts of the building. The materiality is simple and harmoniously blends in with the design language. Timber as well as natural and concrete stone play a major role in the design, giving the interior and exterior spaces a more reserved appearance.