Capital Bank's façade in Jordan with translucent walls

Media

More media…

The most common application of translucent concrete is in the form of a curtain wall, where LUCEM concrete panels are mounted in front of LED light sources that illuminate the concrete. However, the material has even more potential, as the current object shows. Moving the light source farther away from the concrete panels, there will be space for a very special, dynamic effect: the silhouettes of people in the building are projected through the translucent concrete panels like a “shadow theater”. On the other side, people inside the building experience the change of light and shadow during the day; sunlight shines through the walls.

Nature as basic theme

The new Capital Bank VIP branch is located in an elegant residential area in one of the most exclusive neighborhoods of the Jordanian capital Amman: Cairo Street in Abdoun. Creating a “boutique bank” experience for VIP customers was the design concept’s requirement for the bank building. An exceptional atmosphere and inviting design should include nature as the basic theme.

The external appearance of the building should be emphasized from the neighboring buildings, but at the same time harmoniously integrated into the overall picture. Thus, in line with the local stone architecture, the façade was clad in Taffouh stone. Minimal openings in the façade protect the privacy of neighbors, bank employees and customers.

The team of architect Saja Nahashibi, founding partner of PARADIGM DH, Amman, came up with the requirement for a unique appearance using LUCEM translucent concrete panels. The 14 meter high stairwell made of self-supporting light-concrete walls was realized worldwide for the first time. The 30 mm thick light concrete panels are mounted on a steel structure above undercut anchors.

Nature “flows” through the staircase

The idea that nature flows through the staircase in the form of light and shadow plays was the basis of the design. With the use of translucent light concrete, the architects and lighting planners are setting a striking example of how external walls can dissolve the contradiction between massiveness and lightness through translucency.

Millions of embedded optical fibers

Not backlit, the light concrete looks like natural stone. The concrete is matched in color to the façade of the bank. When light concrete is backlit by sunlight or artificial light, millions of embedded optical fibers transmit the light through the material. This creates a translucent look as well as exciting light and shadow effects.

During daytime, the stairwell is illuminated by daylight that shines through the light concrete walls. At twilight and at night, the stairwell is lit from the inside. As the light is transmitted through the fiberglass walls through optical fibers, the stairwell appears translucent to the outside. People in the stairwell are projected as shadows through the light concrete walls. The closer people walk along a wall, the more accentuated their shadow falls. The vertical LED stripes are integrated over the entire height of the stairwell in the design of the handrail’s steel-wood construction. In the case of colored lighting, the stairwell shines accordingly in colored light.

In addition to the use of translucent light concrete panels, the team of architects decided to use LUCEM PURE concrete panels without fiber-optic fibers to cover the non-translucent façade areas. This results in a combination of translucent and non-translucent concrete panels with the same cement / sand mixture and surface finish in the same look.

Traditional banking concept replaced by “VIP customer approach”

In order to give the interior design a “boutique” character, the traditional banking concept has been replaced by an approach that is privately, exclusively and individually tailored to the needs of VIP customers. The switch and waiting areas with traditional queuing concept have been replaced by individual office boxes as well as lobby and reception areas, which are tailored to all customers' needs. The theme of nature has been integrated by designing an open-plan courtyard inside the building, which is inspired by Japanese Zen gardens. A modern crystal chandelier, like an artistic installation reminiscent of fluttering birds, fills the center of the room. A sculptural-looking olive tree forms the optical center. The offices, lobby areas, staircases and corridors around the courtyard have a view through glass walls and glass balustrades. In lobby and reception areas, the counters are also made of light concrete panels. The ATM areas inside and outside were also designed with a backlit translucent concrete wall.