Centra Credit Union

Prototypes / Strategy → Design → Build → Interiors / 2,846 SQ. FT.

The Challenge

After updating their headquarters, Centra Credit Union decided to redo their branches to meet their new headquarters’ modern look and functionality. They partnered with NewGround to complete an exterior and interior branch project, including furniture, to provide an updated look and feel. They wanted their branches to feel like an extension of their headquarters – complete with new branding, technology, and modernity.

The Journey

COVID created many time delays for projects and supply and demand. Acquiring the materials needed to complete projects was challenging across the market, and for clients such as Centra Credit Union, delays were extremely stressful. Even if certain supply issues were outside of anyone’s control, NewGround still wanted to help and step up in any way that we could. Alisha Tyler, Senior Architectural Designer at NewGround, traveled directly to the client in order to deliver a presentation of our capabilities and what we had planned for the project.

“This was the first time I had met the client,” Alisha explained. “And the client didn’t really know what to expect from our presentation. But by going there, in person, they said we went above and beyond their expectations to meet their needs and keep things moving while waiting for materials and delays.”

Soon, the project was continuing at a normal pace and NewGround moved forward alongside Centra Credit Union.

The Destination

For Centra Credit Union, the color blue is critical to their overall company branding. To incorporate these branded blues, NewGround designed a large exterior sign with their signature blue colors. These same blue colors were designed to be a focal point throughout the building, inside and out, to carry consistent branding as members journey through the space. NewGround also designed the interior and furniture selection.

“Our main client contact had a favorite fabric that had been used in their headquarters building, and wanted that fabric incorporated in some way,” Alisha explained. “We were able to incorporate that fabric into a lounge chair in the waiting area and updated all other furniture to match their branded color scheme.”

Other call-backs to the headquarters design included a wood plank ceiling, copper coloring and materials, and circular light rings in blue and green that can be seen from outside the building at night. NewGround also incorporated brand new teller stations, a hospitality station, and remote ITMs in a separate drive-up lane designed to allow for more space. Overall, NewGround listened closely to client needs and incorporated their pre-existing headquarters brand into each new branch project.