HSBC Brokerage USA

Location: 452 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY

Area: 22,000 sq. ft.

HSBC's new Brokerage and Wealth Management retail operation wanted to install the flagship store on the ground floor of their NYC headquarters. The problem consisted of converting an existing multi-level retail appliance store into a state of the art wealth management retail space with an associated brokerage trading operation and back office support staff. Access was required to the adjacent branch bank through a two story marble wall and curved marble teller counter.

The Fifth Avenue location was ideal for the wealth management retail space but problematic for a lower level secured office space. Several specialty consultants, including store concept, video, media and data, and mechanical and structural engineers were involved under Frank & Marcotullio's coordination.

The design solution consisted of using the multi-levels to create unusual spaces within the store and the office areas. Department adjacencies and traffic flow had to be coordinated with a series of half flight stairs and two elevators. The openness of the space was used to see the operation as a whole including the second floor, the mezzanine, the platform and the ground floor levels. It was important that the wealth management retail space and the brokerage trading operation were integrated both visually and electronically. Access to the branch bank was important to integrate the bank operations to the new wealth management space.

The Global red wall with the tickertape running on three sides is the project focal point. The finishes are HSBC standards.