Lee Boyd was the firm of architects appointed for the interior refurbishment of a major UK bank in Glasgow – a Grade A Listed 1920’s neo-classical banking hall and five floors of office accommodation. In consultation with the local authority and Historic Scotland, they designed a series of oval meeting ‘pods’, allowing the five independent meeting spaces to sit comfortably between the existing columns within the Banking Hall.

Artifex London was chosen to supply the Spanish alabaster for the feature wall and the backlit partitions to the public desks. The company worked closely with the manufacturer to select a type of alabaster (Groga) that had the right characteristics for the interior scheme. A random orientation of the panels was preferred to a symmetrical, book-matched arrangement. The result is an elegant relationship between bold contemporary design and period banking grandeur where curved glass walls and Carrera marble Doric columns sit side by side.

Nicola Hall, a director at Lee Boyd explains, “The shape and careful detailing of these elements creates a crafted, almost sculptural solution which complements rather than competes with the historical fabric. These new installations were enhanced by the integration of bespoke lighting fittings and backlighting of the alabaster feature wall”. She adds, “The building was occupied in June 2008 and has been very well received. It is particularly pleasing to see how popular the glazed meeting pods in the banking hall are with both client and visitor”.

In 2009 the project won the Roses Design Award and was commended in the Scottish Design Awards – Interior Design Category.