An Auspicious Occasion

One of my favorite treats as a youngster was visiting the bank with my parents and grandparents.  Back in the day (we’ll never say what day), when one would visit the local financial institution, it was considered an ‘event’.  Men would don their suits and ties and women put on a dress and perhaps a pair of gloves.  It was a business meeting.

At the time, there weren’t any drive-through tellers or debit card kiosks, so  you actually had to go inside of the building and make your transactions at the tellers’ window or at someone’s desk depending on the nature of your business that day.

The banks themselves were also attired as business establishments with grand staircases, beautiful marble flooring and incredible ironworks throughout the interior. Unfortunately, these wonderful architectural attributes went by the wayside in favor of new modern lines and self-help stations.  However, with the rebirth of The Provident Loan Society and my contribution to its new design, I am thrilled to be able to put back into service these fabulous details.

One of the first identifiable wonders in this historic building is the existing balustrade designed with a continuous oval pattern. At first blush, I wasn’t sure how to utilize this terrific accent, but I found that doodling it out guided me to recreate the pattern with a Provident Loan logo as a centerpiece medallion to the railings. From there my task was to incorporate this antique accent into an environment that was timely yet timeless.

Finished with the rendering, the space is current and yet maintains the detail of yesterday’s fineness. The excitement of renewing this establishment not only brings back fond memories of times gone by and people I’ve loved, but reminds me of how tradition is never lost when the occasion is special. Renovating the retail space by marrying today’s style with yesterday’s beauty in this historic landmark will certainly be reason to celebrate.