The complex reconstruction and re-design of the building of Moscow-Minsk bank by our has become a large-scale project that elaborated the city’s downtown scenery. The master plan of the area under reconstruction suggested a solution to peg the bank’s structure to the style and forms of the earlier developed adjacent areas, with proper accomplishment and greenery development. It is important to take it into account that the building offers a panoramic view of the place thanks to the open waterfront of the River Svisloch. The dominating background for the bank from the side of the downtown area is the high-rise building of Hotel Belarus.

The central façade that faces the river and Storozhevskaya Street has been rounded to smoothly flow into the nine-storied apartment block at the street crossing. The new design project suggested pulling down a four-storied house and building a new apartment block instead (a high-rise with the number of storeys varying from 7 to 9) to lock the composition of the entire complex and form an enclosed courtyard on the side of the river. The solution not only softens the bulk volume and perfectly fits itself into the river’s recreational area, but also puts a logical emphasis on the silhouette of the high-rise dominant – Hotel Belarus.

Flexibly bonded with the waterfront and Storozhevskaya Street, the building faces the river with all-round glazing, while the opposite side of the building merges its two blind walls with the UFO-shaped seventh-floor. Actually, we see the averse and reverse, a principle of rational combination of openness and seclusion, which is in tune with the philosophy of any financial institution. The architectural solution not only satisfies functional requirements but also makes a broad hint at the fundamental principle of the banking business.

A combination of blind and glazed surfaces matches the contrasted red-and-white colour spectrum. The white plaster of the walls is overshadowed by hinged ceramic panels, window blocks and stained-glass windows from red aluminium profiles, and also the red-and-brown granite slabs of the socle. Also, red is one of the corporate colours of Moscow-Minsk bank, so it makes an ideal choice for accentuating façade solutions.

Storey planning solutions comply with the contemporary requirements for banking premises, with advanced engineering equipment employed to ensure the desired level of comfort both in the principle facilities and public areas. The basement houses technical rooms and the archives. The first floor is home to the entrance areas, security posts, safe deposit boxes, the secretary offices, the information department and other auxiliary premises. The second floor houses operation halls, with office premises located on the upper floors. The seventh floor embraces the CEO office and those of his deputies, the reception office and the conference room. The eighth floor is home to a large reception area with a mini kitchen. The top floor houses maintenance elements.

The master plan of reconstruction is an integral structure that implies a complete re-design of the former building of the bank, suggests structural additions instead of the demolished house, more parking space and accomplishment of the adjacent territory. As a result, the bank gets a modern office with the necessary attributes, while the city is awarded an interesting architectural solution that finalized the formation of Minsk’s most noticeable downtown area that combines high-rise elements with a natural recreational area.