Banco Santander U.S Headquarters

Client: Banco Santander, New York, NY

RBSD provided full service design for the headquarters for this Spanish bank’s North American operations, which rises as an 80-foot-square, 19-story tower from an 80’ x 100’ full-lot base at the lobby level, stepping back at the seventh, eleventh and fifteenth floors. Situated in a highly visible midtown site just off Park Avenue, the building is surrounded by icons of modern architecture, including the Seagram Building, the Lever House, and a McKim Mead and White building. Great care was taken to develop an aesthetically modern companion for its distinguished neighbors.

Exterior materials include a blue-green reflective glass curtain wall with dark and light gray Cold-Spring thermal-finished granite.  Granite and glass materials continue in the interior, especially the lobby and public area, aesthetically tying the interior and exterior together.  The building features high-speed elevators, a world-class telecommunications system and data service network, state-of-the-art lighting and environmental control systems, a 91-seat auditorium, conference and boardroom meeting facilities, and full executive and operating support functions for the bank’s operations.

RBSD also provided interior design services for the building and was responsible for the construction and fitout of the entire facility. Different floors in the building feature different design styles and functions, from very traditional executive and management offices to “high-tech” open-office environments. Each floor was designed to meet particular needs of a specific operating department. The interior design also responded to and facilitated the display of an extensive art collection.