Summerland Bank has recently reopened its doors, revealing a newly refurbished look. 

The design and works completed in the facility are a great example of how to rethink fit-outs in flood prone areas. The result is a testament to communication, collaboration and innovation in the Lismore CBD.

The 2022 floods came to the (old) ceiling of the bank foyer, and as the story goes, water inundated areas that were never subject to prior floods. 

John Williams, the Summerland Bank CEO says, “We lost a lot of infrastructure here, electricals, we lost the lift, fire systems, the security systems, we had a data centre out the back which was a metre and a half under water and mud.”

The blue line above indicates the height of the 2022 flood waters

With the decision to clean up and rebuild, the team at Summerland Bank decided not to rush into a quick renovation. After two years of working remotely with Covid, the choice was made to hold off from permanent habitation and take some time for a redesign that would see them through future flooding. That has taken another two years to come to fruition.

“We are not hoping that we will never have another flood, but fully expecting that we would flood again,” says John, “The idea is to be able to get back to work quickly with minimal fuss to service, operations and stability after flooding - that was paramount.

The nature of the business has changed, also. Since Covid, having staff that are able to work remotely has helped to minimise interruption to services when the floods hit.

Summerland Bank's operations now embrace this flexibility, so a whole of business approach was applied to the design process. 

New office including foldable furniture and easy to clean surfaces.

Local businesses, Barker Architects and Bennett Construction worked on the rebuild. Luke Barker, Director and Principal Architect on the project, said, “The drive behind it was to have as minimal impact on banking as possible knowing that it's going to be affected by flood waters again.   

“The difficulty was to find an aesthetic balance with the materials because you can find waterproof materials, but to match them with the look of a bank and try and make it look nice for an office was a challenge. We did a whole bunch of samples and testing on-site with Bennett's and came up with a finish that the client was happy with that also had the waterproofing.”



Epoxy floor, waterproof render on the walls, durable finishes and easy access electrics are deliberate features.

Luke described it as a “very collaborative process.” 

John was intrinsically involved and outlined some of the features that have been incorporated “We considered everything from staff safety and air quality to being able to replace certain items easily. All electrics are able to be accessed for testing and replacing. We ensured all the fixtures were easy to clean, designed the furniture and kitchen cupboards with water resistant material.

“The floors are epoxy, and all the desks are made from waterproof laminate and are able to be folded up so we can move them easily. We have holes in the floor - drains. This is to let the water in. We don't want to build, what's called hydrostatic pressure where, as the water rises, it lifts the building. 

Inconspicuous drains on the floor are all that indicate the method of water ingress and egress.

“The drains are filled with foam at the moment (for fire safety). We punch the foam out, and when the water comes into the room, it can drain out because underneath here, we've got a 20 car underground car park. From there, the water can be pumped back out into the river when the flood subsides.”

Summerland Bank prides itself on its community centric ethos and links to the region that has allowed it to build to the place it is now.  

John says, “Our look is actually symbolic of the rivers, the streams and tributaries as well as the roads connecting the Northern Rivers.” 

John recognises that there are mixed feelings about the river, but says, “The river is actually the lifeblood of the Northern Rivers region. All of the rivers. It's part of who we are. So we decided we are going to bring it into our brand.”

Many of the features and decorations in the foyer reflect the curved flow of the inspiration. They lend it a business-like yet welcoming vibe, and they are dual purpose. 

“The wave-like blue panels are sound attenuating material, as are the orange floating discs. In a building like this with hard floors and hard walls, you get this noisy environment. And these things do a fantastic job while reflecting the Summerland brand.”

Luke was very happy with the results, “We are thrilled with the outcome, as it beautifully showcases the coexistence of resilience, aesthetics and functionality, even in a flood-prone environment.”

John said, "I am delighted with the modern and welcoming building renovations. The use of flood-resistant materials and moveable furnishings demonstrates Summerland’s commitment to a long-term presence in the Lismore CBD, enabling us to quickly resume operations after a flood.

Feedback from both customers and staff has been positive. Our customers and fellow business owners have praised the design's aesthetics and its effectiveness in reducing rebuilding and clean-up costs in the event of another flood."

If you would like to learn more about Summerland Banks rebuild and/or business, call 1300 728 728 during business hours. You can also speak to Luke at Barker Architects on 0404 644 776.