The Most Beautiful Bank Buildings in the World
It probably comes as little surprise that banks which occupy some of the best real estate have also constructed some of the most beautiful buildings in the world. Emporis of Hamburg, Germany recently put together a list of bank buildings it considered the most beautiful and stunning on the planet.
The list comprises of bank buildings found in different large cities where they serve as the hub of financial activity in the area. Furthermore, their striking appearance and formidable architecture speak volumes as to their unique construction and design. For many, these buildings not only represent financial power, but the beauty that is inherent when modern design meets the established banking industry.
The List of the Most Beautiful Bank Buildings on Earth
What follows is the list, in no particular order, of the most beautiful bank buildings in the world today.
Bank of America Tower – USA
Bank of China Tower – Hong Kong
European Investment Bank – Luxembourg
Isbank Tower – Turkey
Islamic Development Bank – Saudi Arabia
Macquarie Bank Centre – Sydney
National Bank of Dubai – Dubai
ING House – Netherlands
One Churchill Place – UK
Saxo Bank International HQ – Denmark
Scotia Plaza – Canada
Of the different buildings on this list, the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong is distinguished by being the first building outside the US to be taller than 1,000 feet. It is still today the world’s tallest corporate headquarters as well. The Bank of America Tower in New York is the tallest building in the US, a recent addition which stands in the location of the former World Trade Center Twin Towers which were felled by terrorists on September 11th, 2001. The Bank of America Tower is most striking at 1,776 feet tall which reflects the year of the Declaration of Independence from England.
Another sophisticated design belongs to the Macquarie Bank Centre in Sydney, Australia which has no load-bearing columns in its structure and provides large, colorful workspaces which are most impressive. The Scotia Plaza in Toronto is the second tallest building in Canada and headquarters to the Scotia Bank. Certainly one of the most striking is the Saxo Bank International HQ in Hellerup, Denmark which features a unique slanting, irregular block façade that is more reminiscent of zebra stripes.
The Future of Modern Bank Building Design
Proving that the recent world financial crisis did not greatly affect the desire to create spectacular structures is the recently completed Co-Op Bank in Cyprus in 2009. Although current world markets are still shaky and a strong financial recover still seems somewhat in the future, banks are not holding everything back when it comes to building new, exciting structure to house their corporate staffs.
At the very least, older bank buildings will need to be replaced soon with newer designs that will reflect a more modern approach to architecture. A bold appearance that helps bank buildings stand out from their surroundings is seemingly the wave of the future, which is now on the horizon.
