Masonry Magazine October 1974 Page. 18
Finished walls of brick, large glazed openings and a luminous ceiling portray the sense of unity and serenity the architect wanted for the lobby of the Bay View Federal Savings Building in Belmont, California.
Bay View Federal Savings Building
Belmont, California
Architect: Hashim Al-Yassin, ΑΙΑ
Structural Engineer: DeLeuw, Cather & Co.
Mechanical Engineer: Ihsan H. Ali & Associates
General Contractor: Pacific Western Contractors
Mason Contractor: Milo Masonry
Brick Manufacturer: Canadian Refractories, Inc.
The Bay View Federal Savings building in Belmont, Calif. is an exceptionally handsome structure created in masonry, a dominant design that sets the tone for an adjacent shopping center at the corner of Ralston Ave. and El Camino Real.
The land allocated for the Bay View building was quite limited, so it was evident to the architect that this space had to be used to accommodate all the banking requirements and that no room would be available for generous walks or abundant landscaping.
Architect Al-Yassin thus directed his thinking to the creation of a sculptural structure that could esthetically stand on its own without appreciable environmental support. To achieve the intended results he reasoned that it was essential to use a material that needed a minimum of forming, had uniform color and could be used as a finished wall. This added up to brick!
Al-Yassin says that the sculptural forms were inspired by the Ralston House, one of Belmont's great heritages ranking with California's most memorable landmarks for its spaciousness and technical excellence.
"The brick forms express themselves gently, gracefully and effectively to the viewer," Al-Yassin explains, "They readily extend themselves into the inside of the building to become part of a whole interior spaciousness. The earth-toned, tan brick are particularly effective in dealing with the inclined walls and arches which are featured throughout the structure. Another important element is the 'reveals' or recesses which were deliberately set to vary the form."
The architect also notes, "In designing this building we chose elements which would give the interior space a sense of unity and serenity, including large, glazed openings, rose wood paneling, and a luminous ceiling with its coffered (Continued on page 20)
masonry • October, 1974
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