BANK OF NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1514, 7 March 1901, Page 34

BANK OF NEW ZEALAND

THE NEW PREMISES. The fine new premises of the Bank of New Zealand, at the corner of Lambton quay and Customhouse quay, will form a handsome addition to the architecture of Wellington. The exterior is now almost complete, and workmen are busy finishing the interior of the building. The new banking-house occupies frontages of 138 ft to Customhouse quay and 148 ft to, Lambton quay, and is of three stories and a basement. The height of the basement is Bft, of the ground floor 20ft, of the first floor 14ft, and of the second l floor 13ft. The building is 6oft high from the basement to the parapet. The banking-hall on the ground floor is a handsome, lofty room, said to he one of the largest of its kind in the colonies. Entrance to the main vestibule, which is at the angle facing Willis street, is gained from two- sides—one door being on Lambton quay and the other on Customhouse quay. When inside the vestibule, the visitor proceeds through two folding doors, each 6ft wide, into the public space of the banking-hall, a long avenue 17ft wide and 81ft deep. This avenue, which runs diagonally across the chamber, is flanked by the counters and the desks of the tellers and other officials. The entire banking-hall occupies about twothirds of the ground floor, and covers an area of 4700 ft. The counters for the bank tellers are placed on the right side of the public space, and those for the ledgerkeepers on the left side. By this arrangement the clerks have the benefit of the light from both frontages, whilst the public convenience is 1 inert by the fact that the bank customer is enabled to have his cheque marked at one counter' and passed at once to the clerk on the opposite side of the avenue.. The counters are to be in a style different from that with which banking customers are familiar. Instead of tfite usual higii wall, the banking chambers will be fitted with counters only 4ft in height, surmounted by a high screen of polished brass, fitted with wicket gates, through which business may be transacted. This is a system now adopted in the more modern banking premises in England and America. Facing the public avenue, at its extreme! end, is the accountants’ room, placed on a higher level than the remainder of the banking chamber, so that from this room one may command a view of the whole banking chamber. Near by is a waiting lobby leading into the manager’s room, a lofty apartment, 24ft by 21ft. Adjoining the manager’s room is that of the assistant manager The fittings of the banking chamber are to be of polished cedar The counters will be relieved by deeply-recessed and grooved panels, with, groups of twin . three-quarter ‘ round panels. A striking effect will be secured by a line of full round fluted Corinthian columns which will serve the double purpose of supporting the upper floor and adding

to the decoration of the hall. The vcs-_ tibule and the public space within the banking chamber is to be floored in tiles of a handsome pattern in chocolate, drab and pale blue. The ceiling will be a striking feature in the decoration. It as to be of stamped sine, manufactured, supplied and fitted up by the Wunderlicli firm, of Sydney. The ceiling will be one of the most handsome supplied by this firm. The design is at once simple and exceedingly effective. It is of a floral character, with square borders. and the colours are two shades of blue and a aead white. From the banking hall, on either side, stairs .and book lifts descend to the basement, where there is an ample fireproof chamber for the storage of ordinary banking papers. The treasury vaults and safe deposit vaults are also in the basement. Here there is likewise a note-burning chamber, a bicycle stable and a coal store. The v, hole of the first floor is to be devoted to the general manager and his staff. The entrance is from the Lambton quay frontage. The Board room and directors’ room will also be on this ° floor. Here the walls of the rooms opening on to the central corridor are to be of glass, from the dado height up to the ceiling, a plan which will materially assist the lighting arrangements. The floor above will be occupied by the' living rooms of the custodian, stationery rooms, etc. The design of the building is of the Italian Renaissance. The treatment throughout is sufficiently massive, and at the same time agreeably varied. The projecting balconettes over the main entrances, and the Corinthian pilasters running up to the main cornice, are prominent features of the design. The windows on the ground floor are in the recessed and rusticated style , those on the second floor are marked by threequarter round Corinthian columns, and surmounted by pediments, and on the floor above the design includes a circu-lar-headed opening and bracketed entablature, surmounted by the main cornice, and a balustrade about 10ft high. The lighting and ventilation of the banking house will, it is stated, be up-to-date in every respect. Messrs Turnbull and Son are the architects, Mr Thomas Carmichael the contractor, Mr A. B. Anderson clerk of works, and Mr Jackson painter and decorator. Mr R. Martin supplied the embossed glass* and Messrs Jenkins and ■ Mack did the plumbing.