People’s Bank Regional Head Office, Jaffna
The Jaffna Regional Head Office and Bank Branch for People’s Bank-a long-standing client-was conceptualized as a contemporary, people-focused, corporate green banking building that embodies the bank’s core values while symbolizing the rapid rejuvenation Jaffna has experienced in the post-war period.
Sandwiched between the Pullu Kulam reservoir and the Clock Tower Road, the site offers distant views towards the colonial-period Jaffna Fort from its rear. The design concept was crafted to complement the regional city planning proposal which aimed to transform the area into an urban public promenade with seamless pedestrian links and a vibrant line of activity. In line with this master plan, the building design, aside from catering to its banking functions, creates an urban plaza beneath a striking, six storey pavilion-like pergola structure that opens out towards the water body bordering the rear of the site. The encapsulating triple height voluminous space fosters greater public interaction and connects the building to its broader urban context.
The overhanging pavilion-like structure is wrapped in an aluminium mesh, evoking a modern interpretation of the Kovil verandahs and latticework prevalent in the Jaffna peninsula. The lattice not only contextualizes the building but also creates striking patterns of light and shade in the covered urban plaza.
Encompassing a total floor area of 4500 sqm, the six-story building with basement parking accommodates a spacious banking area with requisite vaults and associated services, an ATM area, a pawning center, a bank branch office, SME and regional head office spaces, a state-of-the-art 250-seat auditorium, and a functional roof terrace with a multi-function hall.