Bank of America Corporate Headquarters

Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects
Bank of America Corporate Headquarters
Charlotte, North Carolina
Location
Total Area
1.4 million square feet | 30,000 square meters
Date of Completion
Client
1992
Bank of America
Visible from the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan, the new U.S.
Courthouse redefines the Brooklyn skyline and provides a new
landmark for the downtown civic center. Located on Camden Plaza,
near the borough’s historic main post office and adjoined to the original
courthouse, the new building is sympathetic to both historic structures
while being contemporary in design.
The complex contains an existing 6-​story courthouse, a new 14-​story
courthouse, and a 6-​story entry hall. The entry hall ties the two buildings
together both functionally and compositionally, providing an easily
identified central entrance into the shared lobby. The open, skylit lobby
allows both light and air into the heart of the complex.
Light is a recurring theme, extending to the artwork that flanks the
entrance. Rising 24 feet above the sidewalk on granite pylons, a pair of
sculptures by artist Lisa Scheer depicts abstracted torches. Inside the
building, sunlight fills all the public spaces, including elevator lobbies,
waiting areas, jury lounges and dining areas. Courtrooms and jury
deliberation areas also offer natural light and views.
A combination of limestone, metal, and glass were used for the three
elements of the complex. The entry hall is a curved structure of glass
and steel, while the two adjacent buildings are primarily limestone. The
stone is similar in color to other prominent public building in downtown
Brooklyn, while its reflective quality makes the building appear light.
These materials form elegant facades that, along with the distinctive
curved massing of the upper tower, acknowledge the prominence of
the Courthouse.
The building contains courtrooms and judges’ chambers arranged in
a collegial layout with a single chambers floor located between two
court floors. This layout reduces the size of the floorplate, creating
a more tapered building profile. The building also houses a Court of
Appeals Library, offices for the district clerk, pretrial, marshals and court
reporters, a food service facility and a jury assembly area. There are
three levels below grade: one level for the U.S. Marshals Service and
two for parking and mechanical spaces.
1056 Chapel Street, New Haven, CT 06510 | T: 203.777.2515 | F: 203.787.2856
© Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects 2015
Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects
Bank of America Corporate Headquarters
1056 Chapel Street, New Haven, CT 06510 | T: 203.777.2515 | F: 203.787.2856
© Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects 2015