UNIQA
John D. Rockefeller stated that “a friendship founded on business is a good deal better than a business founded on friendship.” The insurance company UNIQA has been active in the Czech market for almost 30 years during which time it has been striving to improve people’s lives. It is succeeding very well. It has gained the long-term trust of clients in its products, and received one prestigious award after another from within the industry. It is therefore not surprising that over the years it has built a strong "blue and white" community and concluded over a million insurance contracts.
A new generation community branch
Rapid help when in difficulty, a feeling of security and a long-term relationship based on cooperation are values that clients of the UNIQA financial group expect. And it was in exactly this spirit that a brand-new client zone was created at the Prague headquarters over a period of almost six months.
The pilot project of a new community branch for private clients began with the reconstruction of the original premises of a competing bank. Two months were enough for us to explain everything to the client. Then we started with complete building modifications from floor to ceiling. It went well for us. We opened in about three more months.
The design baton was taken over by the proven husband and wife team of Ing. František Lebeda and Ing. architect Lucie Lebedová from the architectural studio dotegg. They revived the existing neutral corporate look with non-traditional art elements and supported the new visual style by adding additional colour shades.
Open and fair dealings
One of the biggest changes in the company’s corporate design is the concept of the employees' desks. UNIQA decided to abandon the conservative concept of classic bank counters and, on the contrary, breathed fresh air into the negotiation space. It selected a modern and open approach, where the client and the clerk sit at the same level, just like in a living room, and are not separated by any barrier.
One of the main graphic elements that permeates through all spaces is the circle motif. Round lighting, tables or stools complete the elegant and harmonious environment. This shape is also present in the glass decoration, which emphasizes the floral decoration on the table. The decoration in turn softens the rectangular line of the meeting table.
Yesterday, today and tomorrow
The colour blue belongs to UNIQA like a pea to a pod. Until now, we have only seen it in combination with white and muted natural materials. The architects from Dotegg naturally took on this colour and thus preserved the calm spirit of continuity. However, they supplemented it with creative and highly functional elements. The client's armchairs harmoniously alternate in grey and blue shades, the cabinets are decorated with impressive stickers and the facade partitions are covered with fabric curtains. They not only make the whole environment significantly cosier, but also contribute to better acoustics. Bespoke joinery products are structurally interesting. The principle of "wellbeing" is supported by mature living plants.
Investing in comfort
Subject to this fundamental transformation was not just the client area of the branch, but also the back office, which corresponds to the clean visual style of the front office. However, the insurance company employees will find something extra here. The colour palette of the furniture is much more varied. Do you need to discuss something with colleagues, or just relax over lunch? A pink sofa and a red stool, which dominate one of the corridors, invite you to sit down for a chat, or just relax. In the meeting room, soft seating is provided this time by two-tone padded armchairs that respect the colours of the client area.
Special thanks go to Radek Štěpán for high-quality project management and to Kristýna Brejchová for excellent administrative support. We also thank the dotegg studio for the provided photos.