Olivetti Bank Project, 1993
"A recent architectural investigation into the nature of place is
formulated within Herzog & de Meuron’s Olivetti Bank project.10 In
this theoretical project, the problem of a prototypical bank is used to
speculate upon the image of a modern banking structure. In the study, a
prototype is formed of basic programmatic elements that contribute to an
identifiable image of the bank: a bar of gold is associated with electronic
banking functions; a bar of lead suggests more permanent and stable areas
of the bank. These elements are reconfigured and inserted into the fabric
of several different cities in Japan, Germany and other countries. The
significance of the Olivetti project lies within the possibility of a potential
personalization of the prototype when adapted to a specific site or place;
the concept of a flexible prototype which does not carry a proper or preferred
combination of parts. The prototype may always be reconfigured while
retaining an identifiable image." (source)
