The east side of the main banking hall looking towards the north, and below, the west side of the banking hall looking towards the main entrance way on Des Voeur Roud.
Banking Hall: Instructions to the architects were that the Banking Hall must be as large as possible, and it does occupy the whole area of the site with the exception of the Entrance Hall to the Offices and the space occupied by the lift.
The Manager's Offices and certain of the Departments are arranged in the Mezzanine and others on the 1st Floor leaving the ground floor clear for public banking. The Banking Hall is 29 feet in height with a Mezzanine on all four sides, the Manager's Rooms being on the Des Voeux Road front.
The walls of the Banking Hall and all columns except the four centre ones are lined with Botticcino marble. Belgian black has been used for the skirtings, column bases
and counter tops whilst the front of the counters are lined with Breche Aurora. The four main central columns in the Banking Hall are cased with a golden bronze and stainless steel fillets from the base to the black marble Capitals. The ceiling of the Banking Hall is of Venetian gold mosaic depicting old Chinese money tokens and coins.
Golden bronze has also been used for the balustrade to the Mezzanine and the grille round the Cash Department.
The bronze work included the lantern in, and the small lions above the main entrance, and ornamental frontage, all of which were supplied and fixed by Raoul Bigazzi.
The floor of the Public Space is of travertine marble,
The lighting to the Banking Hall is of three main features; the "egg- crate" fluorescent lamp panel fittings giving shadowless lighting, the con- cealed lighting for the mosaic ceiling panels, and general decorative fittings.
In addition to the Bank Vaults which have been planned on the lower ground floor, there will be installed a Safe Deposit Vault accessible from the Banking Hall with stainless steel lining and boxes. There are inspection booths and 6,055 customers' Safe Deposit Boxes of varying sizes.
The massive concrete Vault walls are specially reinforced with patent burglar resisting steel.
Floors in the working spaces of the Bank and in office floors above
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