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CITY ALO FLAGSHIP BRANCH

TKNRK
BANGLADESH

© Nurur Rahman Khan, M T Hadi

PROJECT DETAILS:

Project Name:City Alo Flagship Branch Type of Project: Coffee shop Bank Location:  Gulshan, Dhaka Architects: Tanya Karim, Nurur Rahman Khan, Shahnaz Masud Contractor: City Bank Project completion date: 2019 Photographer:  Nurur Rahman Khan, M T Hadi

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City Bank, the first private commercial bank in Bangladesh since 1983 has launched ‘City Alo’, at 30 of its branches in March 2019. The programs headquarter features a special coffee shop style Banking specially for women. The word, ‘Alo’ means ‘light’in Bangla language and the program focuses on four categories of women customers – women entrepreneurs, homemakers, salaried women and professional women. City Alo offers bespoke financial offerings breaking the monotony of mundane banking affair between two parties.

Tanya Karim N. R. Khan & Associates, also known as TKNRK was commissioned to break the banking stereotypes that tends to cause stress to most women. The stiff and formal environment inside a typical bank is not the case here. The Bank is located at a busy sitein Gulshan Avenue. The inside of the Bank is serene office space-cum-coffee lounge having a touch of feminine aura. The interior speaks volumes about business respite being a cozy little oasis for women exhausted from day-to-day life. The spirit of womanhood is highlighted at its best with “one-stop solution” for women for both banking and non-banking needs.

To offer its bespoke financial offerings, the Bank has partnered with Gloria Jean’s Coffees and has their kiosks in its premises. As soon as one enters, the aroma of brewing coffee basks them in a renewed sense of presence. The counters labelled, “Sit & Sip”, “Read and Relax”, the beautiful green climbers, books; adds towards more mindfulness. There is no waiting in queues! Welcoming relationship managers are all over the place. With just a tap, all banking needs are fulfilled over a coffee or a reading session.