The Essence Of Oman

LOM Architecture and Design’s plan for the National Bank of Oman deliberately avoids extensive glazing, choosing instead a contextdriven approach.

- Rima Alsammarae

 

For the flagship HQ for the National Bank of Oman in Muscat, LOM Architecture and Design created a design with the local topography in mind. Spanning 50,000sqm and stretching across nine floors, the building is said to thoroughly reflect its context and respond to the local environment in its design.

The building’s envelope, for example, changes at each floor level to create a natural, stepped profile that rises from a roughhewn base to a clean, distinctive parapet line. Comprising a loadbearing natural stone facade of terraces, the design reflects the terrain of the local mountainous landscape, while the facade of the upper floors — formed from a vertical precast panel system — was inspired by the architecture of Omani forts such as Nizwa, Nakhal and Bahla. Inspired by the country’s Wadi gorges, the bank’s atrium further delivers a series of dramatic internal spaces that balance public access with security requirements, creating a multi-functional facility that serves as both a staff resource and semi-public and event space. Connecting the building to the surrounding landscape, generous planting overhangs various external terraces.

The bank’s interiors features a boardroom suite, archiving facility, main vault, roof terrace, underground staff car parking, cafeteria and data centre, and accommodates 800 employees.