“When we were starting to design it, we wanted to tie in the recognizability of the brand that CTA helped Altana establish,” Johnson said. At the same time, “they’re really trying to keep things fresh for their members,” Christensen added.

Some of Altana’s existing facilities feature cherry wood, traditional finishes, and a blue accent color. Design of the new branch, which opened in September 2017 (with a grand opening event in November), aimed to remain firmly reminiscent of the Altana aesthetic but with bolder, more modern touches. The Heights branch includes new selections of wood, white quartz, a green accent, and contemporary fixtures – plus an abundance of daylight throughout.

Several Altana locations feature stonework on the exterior, with primarily lighter-colored finishes transitioning to darker elements near the roof. Also featured are large, deep eaves and overhangs. The new branch follows this same convention, though due to a quarry closure, some quick work was required to match new style rock to Altana’s existing locations.

The commercial zone of Billings’ Heights neighborhood is largely automobile-focused. In typical strip mall fashion, cars are generally parked between buildings and the road. To assert a greater presence on Main Street and to promote modern retail/commercial design that prioritizes – or at least equalizes – the pedestrian experience, the branch was sited closer to the road, with parking located to the side and rear of the building.

CTA landscape architect Stephanie Donovan worked with Altana to create an up-front presence on Main Street, inviting pedestrians and traffic to enter from Main Street. Additionally, the team designed the main entry vestibule to extend out, greet visitors entering the space, and escort them inside. “It really creates a nice welcoming environment and a grand entrance,” Christensen said.

Occupying 10,596 sq. ft., the new branch has plenty of office space for current staff, but is also highly flexible and large enough to accommodate future growth. Additionally, the lobby, now home to the interactive teller machines, is highly reconfigurable should additional needs arise or new technology become available in the future.

“The goal was to create a really fun, professional, and adaptive environment for both Altana staff and their members,” Johnson said.

An attached two-car garage, unusual for a traditional credit union, was added to the design to provide space for Altana team members to build and store floats for entry in community holiday parades (often occuring in cold months). Serendipitously, the garage also provided additional roof space to the west side of the building (opposite the road), allowing the integrated design team to reduce the visibility of mechanical systems to members as they walk in or utilize drive-up services.