Based below the ASB North Wharf building on the corner of Jellicoe Street in Auckland City, the Innovation Lab lets ASB people and customers test new technologies being used to perform a range of banking functions.

"Customers can perform all the regular banking functions they have come to expect at any ASB branch. The Innovation Lab contains a foreign exchange desk, a 24-hour ATM lobby but it deliberately doesn't look like a traditional branch environment," says James Bergin, ASB's Chief Architect.

"There are no walls of paper brochures or traditional teller counters, but rather customers will instead encounter a range of interactive technology designed to help them explore new ways of meeting their banking requirements."

The Innovation Lab trials different technologies and hardware prototypes developed by ASB, including gesture-based, interactive 103-inch plasma screens operated by Microsoft Kinect motion sensors. This allows navigation through digital brochures, real-time rates and videos using gestures and without touching the screen.

There are touch-enabled, wall and table mounted interactive multi-media displays enabling self-service navigation, exploring a completely different way for customers to interact with ASB retail specialists as opposed to the traditional behind-the-counter or behind-the-desk models.

The Innovation Lab also contains video-conferencing facilities and a state-of-the-art, NCR-brand touch-enabled ATM prototype - the only one of its type installed in the Southern Hemisphere. The prototype will allow ASB to explore merging the traditionally separate ATM, internet, and teller-based platforms.

"We are excited to be actively exploring the future of banking and most importantly, to be doing this with our customers who have a big part to play in deciding what that future looks like," says Mr Bergin.

"We encourage everyone to come and visit the new Innovation lab, to try out the new technology with our team of specialists, and to provide feedback to help us shape future experiments in the Lab, as well as the future of banking."

The Innovation Lab adds to the innovation benchmarks achieved in the design, construction and operation of the ASB North Wharf building, which is the most advanced commercial office building of its type in New Zealand and sets the benchmark in Australasia for sustainability.