Bank On It

Modern Phoenix’s 2010 Home Tour + Expo puts the spotlight on the Valley’s bevy of banking gems

If the words ‘home tour’ bring back painful memories of being stuck in the backseat of your parents’ station wagon while being dragged on an endless loop of boring tract-homes, ModernPhoenix.net has the solution. This popular portal for all things sleek and stylish recently rolled out the itinerary for its sixth annual Home Tour + Expo. Held April 10 – 11, this two-day extravaganza highlights everything that’s cool and classic in a town awash with cookie-cutter design, including the lowly bank building.

Not so long ago bank branches were showstoppers, a physical representation of the bank’s financial might, brimming with custom artwork and grandiose, marble-lined lobbies. Today, unfortunately, banks are about as architecturally impressive as your neighborhood Quizno’s. That said, the Valley is still home to a world-class collection of Modern masterpieces, such as the famed ‘Mushroom Bank’ at 44th St. and Camelback (pictured). Learn more at “Creating a New Image: Phoenix Mid-Century Branch Banks,” a free seminar hosted by Donna Reiner Ph.D, as part of the Modern Phoenix Expo inside the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. You’ll never look at waiting in line at the bank the same way again.

Picture by Walt Lockley via ModernPhoenix.net