featured project
Orange County’s Credit Union has been steadily expanding its presence and service throughout Orange County. They have been awarded a ranking in the top three credit unions for the past eight years. They are known for their friendly customer service and the variety of products they offer. They take great pride in treating their members with utmost care and extend the same principle to their employees.
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With the opportunity to move their Santa Ana branch to a new location, a/k/a creatives was tasked with designing their new brand experience. The main goal of branding was to create an environment that was clean and warm, and that customers and employees could feel comfortable in. This branch is located in a newly built Raffety Square building by a prestigious developer. The building boasts a mixture of service/retail/restaurant units on the ground level and five-story high-end residential units above. OCCU is occupying a prominent corner unit facing the intersection of Main and 4th with a 15-foot-plus high ceiling with floor-to-ceiling windows on the two sides of the unit.
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The overall design scheme incorporated tone-on-tone warm layers of colors and textures to create an inviting space. As members and new customers step inside the space, they will feel the open, airy space that takes advantage of high open-space ceilings without being overwhelming. The check-in and concierge stations are strategically located to direct the traffic into the branch. The bar counter with tablet station marquees the direction of member traffic to the teller line. At this bar, a warm wood cabinet with a marble-like countertop gives a feeling of being in the dining area at someone’s home.
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The seating area was designed to create a feeling of the living/dining room. To maximize the number of customers who can take advantage of this space, the seating area consists of a variety of furniture, from club chairs and poufs to round four-tops. The suspended wood soffit above the seating/waiting area changes the scale of the space and slows down the traffic speed. Also, this area is created to be used for casual financial conversations with members.
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Some of the cubicles had to be placed on the window wall facing Main Street for operational needs. One of the goals was to create a space that provides privacy but does not block views into the branch. Another essential goal was to make sure the branch was highly visible even after the branch was closed to gain interest from passing traffic. a/k/a creatives incorporated suspended felt panels, fully custom-designed desks, and oversized suspended lights to achieve these goals.
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a/k/a creative is involved in the site survey, concept design, construction documents, plan check process, and construction administration for this project. The branch is scheduled to open in July 2024.
