Located in Singapore’s downtown Orchard Road district, the re-casting of the typical Wealth Hub as a ‘Banking Conservatory’ was the winning scheme in an invited international competition to challenge the conventions associated with a high net-worth banking experience.

The brief was to challenge the conventions of traditional banking and provide more immersive alternatives for Citibank’s relationship managers to engage with their high-net-worth clients. One of the most extensive design efforts was focused on designing and executing a series of Garden discussion pods nestled amongst the plants in the Conservatory, creating alternative discussion environments to the conventional meeting room. These are lined with acoustic panels and equipped with curved TV screens, concealed power points and cables for connecting laptops, providing a luxe and relaxed atmosphere for Client-Relationship Manager discussions to take place.

The project spans 2,275 square metres over four floors, with more than 30 client advisory rooms, flexible function rooms, hot-desking offices and event spaces; Levels seven and eight offer an immersive, lush and thriving indoor conservatory for Citigold and Citigold Private Client high net-worth banking clients; while Levels six and nine provide a conducive working environment for the Relationship Managers.

Extolling the virtues of biophilic design Inspired by the site’s soaring glass-lined atrium, this focal point anchors the entire experience. There is a lush thriving indoor conservatory paired with a series of lifestyle-inspired spaces – an observation deck, feature bar, banquette seating, lounge niches and garden meeting pods. The choreographed verdant and lush greenery evoke an atmosphere where everything seems to flourish in a natural and sustainable manner, a nod to the ideals of wealth management.

Furniture: LaCividina, Wendelbo, De La Espada, &Tradition, Bo Concept, Minotti, Gubi, Porada. Lighting: Flos, Endo, Lutron lighting control system, Maerich, Marset, Roll & Hill. Fittings and Finishes: Feature Bar Dornbracht bar tap, Reginox, Billi, Dornbracht, IMO Touchfree mixer.

Photography: KHOOGJ