The Aizumi branch of Awa Bank, featuring an arc-shaped transparent façade, an open atrium and a light wooden space, opened in January 2023 in Tokushima, Japan. The 2-storey building, with a total floor area of 1,000m2, includes a visitor’s lobby and employees’ offices.
Arup provided structural, MEP engineering and lighting design services for this unique building.
Aizumi is witnessing a population growth, particularly among young families. The building design breaks from the traditional, authoritative bank image, aiming instead to be a friendly, accessible space for people of all ages. To accommodate future needs, such as changes in banking and working styles, we planned the office space on the second floor to be adaptable to layout changes without structural alterations.
Taking advantage of Tokushima’s mild climate and windy environment, we incorporated natural ventilation to mitigate reliance on air-conditioning and introduced ample daylight into the atrium lobby, creating a balanced interplay between natural and electric lighting.
Robust and lightweight structure
In response to the client’s request for a robust and safe impression, the building is designed with a reinforced concrete (RC) structure with earthquake-resistant walls arranged to withstand horizontal forces from events such as earthquakes and wind. The first floor, which is open to the public, features a column-free space, and the second floor is supported by steel rods suspended from large cross-section post-tensioned beams at the rooftop level with a timber concrete composite (TCC) slab.
To create a versatile and adaptable interior layout on the second floor office, partitions without load-bearing walls are employed, allowing flexible expansion of space.