Union Planters Bank is among the 25 largest bank holding companies in the United States. Its 225,000–square foot corporate and administrative headquarters (originally designed for Republic National Bank) is a 15-story building located along a major commercial boulevard in the Coral Gables (Florida) central business district. The shallow curve of the east-facing elevation acknowledges the elliptical plan of a neighboring park, and a grid of deeply recessed windows set into precast concrete panels allows a changing interplay of sun and shadow. The north and south elevations express a traditional architectural image consistent with the prevailing city aesthetic. The lobby houses the bank’s retail operations in a generous 19,000-square foot space, and the remainder of the ground floor houses shops behind a continuous arcade. Above the lobby, a seven-story, 500-car garage acts as a base to the office tower. |
