design:retail - July/August 2020 - 38

eople don't usually associate coffee with
banking, but McClean,
Va.-based Capital One
is changing that. Since
2015, the formerly
online-only bank has
been strategically connecting to customers
through cafés that
also offer limited banking services and on-site
associates to assist them. Anyone can come in for a
handcrafted Pete's coffee and stay a spell-and they
may enjoy staying even longer at this location.
Capital One's new flagship café in Chicago's
Loop opened earlier this year, boasting 10,000
sq. ft. spread over two levels, including small and
large tables, work nooks and meeting rooms.
For this location, Capital One partnered with
Chicago-based IA Interior Architects, which it had
previously worked with on three other Chicago
locations, as well as numerous others throughout
the country.

"In collaboration with Capital One, IA implemented particular moments that were unique,
keeping in mind the theme of 'community
engagement,'" says Jaime Gomez, senior project
architect at IA. "The monumental stair at the heart
of the space and the seating area below it (furnished with plant life and lighting) are designed
to encourage visitors to interact and engage with
the space."
With people doing so much banking online
these days, the function of physical branches is
changing. According to a Quartz analysis of data
from the FDIC, the number of full-service bank
branches fell by about 12 percent between 2010
and 2019. But Capital One is exploring what else is
possible with its limited-service branches that are
focused more on fostering community in comfortable spaces than just banking.
The flagship was previously another bank, but
was an empty shell when renovations started. The
design team added the coffee bar, new interior
and exterior lighting, another floor (plus stairs and
elevator), an exposed HVAC system and numerous

new finishes. From the outside, a new striking
channel glass façade announces the café's presence
on the corner of State and Monroe streets. Lined
in "Capital One" blue, a corner picture frame
window on the second floor gives patrons an
expansive view of the city below. "It's a perfect
place to see and be seen; people make a conscious
decision to sit there and take in the sights of downtown Chicago," says John Hopkins, design director
at IA. "The space truly supports all types of
engagement preferences."
While the café portion is a definite draw, Capital
One's attention to seating and layout is notable in
its acknowledgement of remote work culture. On
the first floor, there is a smattering of café tables
and a banquette seating area near the planter
beneath the stairs. To the right of the café is the
banking service area, where "ambassadors" can
help open accounts, answer any questions related to online banking issues or engage in a free
"money coaching" session. Two ATMs are available
for quick cash and deposits. Patrons can casually
perch on bar seating that lines the glass bi-folding

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design:retail - July/August 2020

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