RESULTS BEYOND ARCHITECTURE
FINANCIAL SERVICES
FINANCIAL SERVICES
In today’s financial landscape, both banks and corporate institutions face the challenge of balancing trust, innovation, and efficiency. From welcoming clients into branch environments that reflect evolving service models, to designing dynamic workplaces that support productivity, culture, and growth, the right spaces are critical. With deep expertise across both sectors, we bring a holistic approach grounded in strategy, design excellence, and efficient execution. Whether it’s reimagining a single branch or orchestrating a nationwide corporate rollout, our team understands the unique demands of financial services and delivers environments that elevate confidence, connection, and performance.
Beyond Design
Partnering for your goals.
From strategy to rollout, our transdisciplinary services - ranging from design standards and brand integration to portfolio optimization, sustainability and facility team support - equip your institution with the tools it needs to thrive .
STRATEGIC DESIGN & PLANNING
• Design Standards & Brand Translation
• Design & Value Engineering
• Research & Market Insights
• Environmental Design
PORTFOLIO OPTIMIZATION & SCALABILITY
• Site Audits / Investigation & Analysis
• 3D Scan and as-builts
• Due Diligence
• Program Management & Rollout
• Sustainability Impact Design
• Facility Team Support
INSIGHTS AND PERSPECTIVES
With decades of experience designing for financial services, our team brings forward insights that set the stage for the future of banking and corporate workplaces.
BUILDING INCLUSION INTO THE BLUEPRINT: A DESIGN GUIDE FOR TODAY’S WORKPLACE
By Natasha Edwards & Rebecca Sistruck
As the world of work continues to evolve, so must the way we design for it. Today’s most effective workplaces are intentionally created to make people feel seen, respected, and empowered. Inclusive design is more than a buzzword; it’s a mindset that puts people at the center. And it starts with one essential element: psychological safety.
BANKING ON TRUST: HOW EARLY ENGAGEMENT AND SMART DESIGN CAN RECONNECT BANKS WITH THEIR COMMUNITIES
By Sarah Curtis
After more than a decade of designing financial retail spaces, I can confidently say the branch isn’t dead. It’s simply evolving. Yes, digital banking is convenient and growing fast. Physical branches still play a vital role, especially as financial institutions search for new ways to build trust, offer guidance, and support their communities.
BANKING REIMAGINED: TRANSFORMING TRANSACTIONS INTO EXPERIENCES
By Sheinya Joseph
With declining foot traffic and the rise of digital banking, traditional bank branches are ripe for transformation. Most people can now manage their everyday banking needs from the comfort of their home without ever stepping inside a branch. But what if the future of banking went beyond transactions? What if branches became destinations that foster community, collaboration, and meaningful experiences?
BALANCING BUDGET AND BRAND: VALUE ENGINEERING FOR RETAIL PROTOTYPES
By Sarah Curtis
Retail brands today face a common dilemma: how to reduce construction costs without compromising the customer experience that defines their brand. Whether it’s a flagship store, a neighborhood bank branch, or a quick-service restaurant, retail spaces must be both cost-conscious and brand-consistent to compete effectively.
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SELECT EXPERIENCE
Sharonview Federal Credit Union
“Little spent numerous hours with our leadership group understanding our vision, our mission, our culture, and how we wanted to represent ourselves, and then used this information in every detail of our design. The first thing people say is ‘this looks just like Sharonview!’”
John Carlson, President/CEO Sharonview Federal Credit Union
SHARONVIEW FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
Gastonia, NC / 3,072 sf
When Sharonview needed a complete refresh of their branches, they came to Little, who previously designed their corporate headquarters, for advice.
Little worked with Sharonview to create a branch prototype that was soothing and calm, yet filled with modern touchpoints like a long live-edge table for the technology bar, conference rooms with glass garage doors to allow meetings to spill into the lobby, water/coffee stations and offices with sliding doors to allow easy access for members wanting more private conversations.
SHARONVIEW FEDERAL CREDIT UNION:
HEADQUARTERS
Fort Mill, SC / 184,000 sf
Sharonview successfully relocated its headquarters to an existing 4.5-story office building set beside a scenic lake.
The renovation transforms the space into a warm, welcoming environment that reflects Sharonview’s culture and values. Improvements include a revitalized entry experience, upgraded technology, new interior finishes, and reimagined amenity spaces such as a training center and fitness area. Exterior enhancements, including refreshed landscaping, upgraded lighting, and the activation of the lakeside patio, help create a serene, branded setting aligned with the organization’s mission and vision for longterm growth.
Founders Federal Credit Union
“The professional and meticulous approach Little has taken is nothing short of amazing. From interviewing our employees, listening to their needs, integrating and “weaving” our textile background into the building and site design, and assisting in the bid process, I couldn’t be happier. I cannot imagine beginning this journey without Little’s knowledge and assistance.”
Bruce Brumfield Founders Federal Credit Union
FOUNDERS FEDERAL CREDIT UNION: HEADQUARTERS
Lancaster, SC / 120,000 sf
An organization rich in tradition, FFCU boasts a proud history rooted in the textile mill industry of Lancaster, SC.
Little’s team of designers used the function of the mill to drive the design. A large masonry piece is seen as a remnant of the original mill and the foundation for the space. The exterior design also consists of a panel system made of glass, allowing for views, and terra-cotta to protect the facades that receive the most sun exposure. The two main department spaces are linked by a public gathering space, a main circulation spine and a secondary circulation spine that forms a perimeter to the public plaza below – serving as a metaphor of a loom by weaving the different departments and individuals together.
FOUNDERS FEDERAL CREDIT UNION: RETAIL BRANCH
Spartanburg, SC / 8,160 sf
Founders engaged Little to design a new 8,000 square foot prototype to reflect their brand, incorporate their textile heritage, and include elements from their corporate headquarters.
Designed with the customer in mind, Founders Federal Credit Union sought to enhance the customer’s banking experience through subtle, yet effective design characteristics such as tellers that are angled to greet members and comfortable offices for private conversations. The lobby-based communication table makes for a quick touch point with bankers while the bold, branded interior white stone wall provides a focal point that relates back to the corporate headquarters. Little continues to partner with Founders Federal Credit Union as their market and square footage needs evolve.
Chelsea Groton Bank
“The team from Little made a real point, right from the beginning, of understanding who we are as a company. We have an existing culture, we have an existing brand. Little really embraced who we are and helped us advanced that cause.”
Michael Rauth Chelsea Groton Bank
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CHELSEA GROTON BANK
Groton, CT / 1,800 sf
With the success of online banking offerings, customers are finding increasingly less value in the traditional, physical branch and were coming into the branch less often.
This challenge became an opportunity for us to develop an experience design strategy to “unbank the bank”, resulting in the transformation of their Groton, CT branch into a community destination for financial wellness and empowerment.
Wescom Credit Union
“We’re committed to serving Anaheim by offering a distinctly different banking experience - one that makes our members’ lives easier with convenient banking solutions and financial education tools. ”
Deena Otto, Sr. Vice President Marketing & Administration Wescom Credit Union
WESCOM CREDIT UNION: ANAHEIM CENTER BRANCH
Anaheim, CA / 3,895 sf
The flagship branch focuses on sustainable design and breaks the convention by providing an educational, entertaining and immersive specialty banking experience.
Dedicated to help its members build better lives, the new Wescom Credit Union prototype focuses on providing more meaningful interactions with its customers. With digital displays and new teller stations designed without dividers, the focus is on a more forward-thinking member experience. LEED certified, the floor-toceiling glass incorporates an extension of the architecture with the landscaped footprint.
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Truist
“We are thrilled at the transformation and activation of the plaza and how it fosters not only our relationships with teammates and tenants but also the community. It directly supports Truist’s purpose to inspire and build better lives and communities”
Truist
TRUIST PLAZA AND LOBBY RENOVATION
Charlotte, NC
This highly complex plaza and lobby renovation is located at the Truist Headquarters.
Nestled in the heart of Uptown Charlotte, the plaza and lobby transformation reimagines once-dismal spaces into vibrant, curated experiences for both the community and Truist team members.
Originally initiated as a maintenance upgrade, the project evolved into a comprehensive transformation aligned with Charlotte’s 2040 Vision Plan. The renovated space supports Truist’s mission to build better lives and communities, creating a welcoming environment where corporate identity meets public engagement.
TRUIST
Wilson, NC / 95,000 sf
This Truist building has served as the catalyst of a pivotal public private partnership in downtown Wilson.
The Bank’s commitment to relocate from its downtown towers and create a new building along Pine Street sparked a new residential/retail mixed-use development and the Wilson Family YMCA.
To be sensitive to the scale of the surrounding historic buildings, the design of the Truist building opted for a longer building footprint to minimize the overall height. Inside, the health and wellbeing of employees is kept top of mind with ample communal amenities, sit-stand desks and biophilic design elements.
Truliant Federal Credit Union Operations
Center
“Our employees were impressed at how Little was able to extract ideas and issues. They felt that Little not only excelled at listening to their ideas, but they knew just the right questions to ask.”
Thom Beck, Sr. Vice President/Operations and CIO Truliant
Taking advantage of an existing building that had once been a Macy’s department store, Truliant asked Little’s design team to create an environment that would repurpose the building into a functioning, well-used office space that was also cost-efficient.
The main focus of the project circulated around opening up the space to allow maximum light from limited windows and promoting collaboration, allowing the features to include gaming areas, kitchens, open but private workstations, meeting spaces, a gym, and a training room.
“One piece of feedback our employees gave us is they not only wanted a moderized space that is warm, inviting and engaging but they wanted a space that would bring people together.”
CONFIDENTIAL FINANCIAL SERVICES CLIENT
Charlotte, NC / 260,000 sf
A fast paced strategy to return to the office in style.
This Confidential Financial Client decided to have a company wide “back to work” policy that included reshuffling multiple lines of businesses across several buildings in the Charlotte area. Little was tasked to remodel 13 floors of the client’s legacy high-rise in Uptown Charlotte. The remodel incorporated both client provided standards and also creative design decisions by Little to provide a unique environment to the location.
WELLNESS-FOCUSED AMENITY SPACES
Amenity spaces play a vital role in enhancing both physical and mental well-being by creating environments that foster connection, balance, and belonging.
Thoughtfully designed lounges, outdoor terraces, fitness areas, and wellness-focused zones give people opportunities to move, relax, and recharge throughout the day—reducing stress while improving focus and productivity. These sustainability-driven shared spaces also nurture community by encouraging spontaneous interaction and social connection, helping individuals feel part of something larger than themselves. Beyond their physical benefits, amenity spaces send a clear message that people’s health, comfort, and happiness matter— transforming spaces into destinations that support holistic wellness and a strong sense of collective identity.
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES 440+
PRACTICES
COMMUNITY
• Civic • Justice
• Schools
• Higher Education
HEALTHCARE
• Acute Care
LEED & WELL ACCREDITED PROFESSIONALS
114
LEED & WELL PROJECTS 115+
Certified or Pursuing Certification
OFFICE LOCATIONS
CHARLESTON, SC
CHARLOTTE, NC
DURHAM, NC
NEWPORT BEACH, CA
ORLANDO, FL
WASHINGTON, DC
• Specialty Centers
• Medical Office Buildings & Clinics
RETAIL
• Food
• Service
• Store Design
• Multi-Use & Adaptive Reuse
WORKPLACE
• Office
• Interiors
• Mixed-Use
• Critical Facilities
• Science
SERVICES
ARCHITECTURE
• Design
• Construction Administration
• Project Execution & Program Management
• Quality Assurance
INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE
• Interior Design
• Programming
• Space Planning
• Occupancy Strategy
BRAND EXPERIENCE
• Branding & Marketing
• Branded Environments
• Signage & Wayfinding
ENGINEERING
• Structural Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Lighting Design
• Low Voltage Engineering
PLANNING & STRATEGY
• Master Planning
• Asset Audits
• Feasibility / Yield Studies
• Development Strategy
• End-User Experience
• Portfolio Strategy
• Workplace Strategy
• Guidelines & Standards
• Change Management
SITE DESIGN
• Landscape Architecture
• Civil Engineering
• Land & Master Planning
• Urban Design
• Site Development / Entitlements Consulting
SMART BUILDING TECHNOLOGIES
• IWMS Implementation & Support
• IoT Sensor Deployment & Integration
• Workplace / Tenant Experience Apps
• Building Analytics & Operational Insights
SUSTAINABILITY
• Sustainability Consulting
• Certification Management
• Building Performance Optimization
• Energy Modeling
• Daylight Modeling
• Embodied Carbon Analysis
• Life Cycle Analysis
• Life Cycle Cost Analysis
• Corporate & Building Feasibility Studies
VISUAL IMPACT
• Cinematic Storytelling
• Immersive Experiences
• Virtual Placemaking
