The Truth About Designing a GTBank (They Didn't Pay Me!)

I'm sharing a crazy story: how I ended up designing a branch for a famous African bank, all from my London apartment...and without getting paid!
Guarantee Trust Bank (GTBank) is known for its stunning, unique architecture. They don't just build cookie-cutter branches - they commission design studios to create something special for each location.
Back in the day, I worked at a design studio in Lagos that constantly competed for these GTBank projects. We all dreamed of landing one! Fast forward a few years, I'm now working in London. One afternoon, I get a call from my old Lagos studio director. He tells me GTBank reached out to him for a design...but they declined the offer due to workload. The deadline to respond? The NEXT DAY!
That's when I stepped in....
This was a wild experience, and I'll tell you all about it in the video. What was the final design like? Hit that play button to find out!

[@odimegwusamuel9455]

Thanks bro. This bank branch was built in my Area. I loved it and the concept inspired my final project concept (A public library) .... You inspired a lot of young minds with that bold concept. Thank you sir.

[@BukkiTalks_]

Amazing 👍🏾👍🏾

[@olaoluwadada9008]

One of your secret admirers back in FUTA. More grease to your elbow. My only question is why do established Architects find it difficult to appreciate their engine room (young Architects), I for one would have thought that the Design studio should have carried you along when they got the juice flowing thru, just the same way you were contacted at the stage of problem solving, cos I seem to think you became the go-to solution provider having considered all his other options (I might be wrong though)

[@abcBIMdotCom]

Well, there are lots of factors that influence why younger designers don't get paid enough, one of them is that clients often don't always want to pay for consultancy services.

[@enochosano2896]

robb the bank and pay yourself, even when caught, you have a solid case

[@abcBIMdotCom]

Haha. They were smart, they did not share actual layout.

[@rmak2950]

And your former firm didn't even inform you that they won the commission. I can see why u no longer work for them

[@abcBIMdotCom]

No, I only realised when I randomly saw the instagram post.

[@rmak2950]

@abcBIMdotCom that firm was downright canniving but the world of architecture is ruthless.