Located at the junction of Calgary Trail and 34th Avenue, the Gateway Banking Centre is Canadian Western Bank’s flagship location in South Edmonton. To embody CWB’s promise of being Obsessed with Your Success, the design approach considers the physical building and site as an opportunity to translate a people-focused and forward-looking service philosophy into architectural ideals. These include a human-centered spatial-material language and design gestures that highlight movement and interaction as individuals interface with the building and one another. Notable features include the various screening devices that modulate the visual openness of the banking hall, generous interior and exterior glazing regimes, and the statement-making fins positioned along the northwest corner of the building’s exterior.

Even those who don’t take the opportunity to visit the public spaces within the banking centre can appreciate its innovative fins clad in iridescent blue and white panels that reveal glimpses of the building’s second-floor patio. These elements give the building a dynamic presence that plays to its high-traffic site. A variable composition of masses and cladding materials breaks down the building’s scale and offers unique impressions when approached from each side. Augmented by colourful graphics, thoughtfully integrated planting, and nuanced exterior lighting, the building is designed to remain attractive an engaging no matter the time of day or season. In contrast to the large-scale and commercially-driven typologies that abound along in the area, the Gateway Banking Centre is a bespoke building that acknowledges and enhances its context.