3 FLAGSHIP BRANCHES
FOR BAHRAIN ISLAMIC BANK

Abaad Real Estate Company
Bahrain

-the idea is to maximize the use of natural lighting in the day time yet preventing as much as possible the intrusion of ultra-violet rays coming from the sun considering this is the middle east.

the solution:
sun-shaders and the use of low-E architectural glass.

the bulk of daily transactions usually starts at 8am to 12 noon and from 3pm till evening. the purple canopy on the entance extending through the inside helps shade the sun in the mid-morn as well as the white block where the bank's logo rests. in the afternoon, the seemingly useless over-sized canopy on the roof shades the interior. while the all-glass wall extending thru part of the roof allows the most of the ambient light where the sun does not directly hit the building.
low-E arch'l. glass (sputtered) allows up to 78% visibility from the inside which is considerably high compared to tinted or reflective glass. this allows the most of the heat outside not to penetrate the interior while keeping the cold air from going out.
while glass curtain and aluminum cladding are of a modern touch, the use of local stones connects the building with the rest of the region.
banks generates "wealth". water is the wealth of the desert and the fountain not only sooths the eyes but connotes the springs in the desert, the wealth of the land, as well as the continously promising services of the bank itself.

this design.... fancifulness was kept to a minimum, function to the max.. hopefully.

...and hopefully we get the project 3 in 1.