Rénovation totale de la banque cantonale de Fribourg à Bulle

There are two branches of the cantonal bank in the centre of Bulle, but the one we are focusing on has a distinctly historic character. Dating back to 1892, it occupies a corner plot on the Place des Tilleuls which is open on three façades, and faces the Château de Bulle, built towards the end of the 13th century.

While remaining aligned with the latest banking standards, our aim was to reconnect with the building’s original intent. We enhanced the entrance to create a single, unified access point, a 24/7 vestibule with an ATM area along one wall, and a glass wall opening onto the reception area on the other. This space functions both as a security airlock and a thermal buffer.

Seeing and being seen

Two windows were lengthened all the way to the floor to create a more striking architectural statement. Beyond restoring a sense of balance and order to the façade, this also produces a dual visual effect – from the outside in, it introduces transparency, allowing passers-by to glimpse the interior; from the inside out, the reception space seems to reach out and engage with the square beyond.

To refine the external composition, a canopy was added – a piece of metalwork that serves both a practical purpose and offers a form of symbolic protection. The façade was also given a fresh lease of life. Where the original paint leaned towards a muted salmon with shutters in a faint turquoise, the window frames were highlighted in a rich red, complemented by discreet grey shutters. Additionally, to bring a sense of graphic dynamism to the building, the company logo was relocated to one side of the canopy.

The reception area is an elegant mix of oak and glass, complemented by black and bronze on the interior walls. One wall features a map of the Sarine region, a subtle trace of the territory the bank serves. Oak screens are used to partition the spaces, while the reception desks and workstations, custom-designed by us, are intended to convey quality and care to the people we serve. Visitors are well looked after, and it is clear that real people work here. This is a cantonal bank that, while respecting privacy and confidentiality, wants to lay its cards on the table: ‘We’re not hiding anything from you’.

Slightly set back and discreetly positioned, a staircase rises through the floors, paired with the elevator shaft, both finished entirely in black. The upper levels are more conventional in layout, with a primary focus on light and transparency. Facing small historic windows, the previously windowless rooms have been opened up with large glazed façades and painted in light, luminous tones. At the top of the building, the attic floor has been redesigned in white and timber, kept deliberately minimal to encourage perspective. Through the few openings, the 33-metre-high keep of Bulle Castle comes into view, creating a quiet dialogue between the bank – a modern-day vault – and the castle that once stood as a stronghold.