CLIMBING FRAMES

Illoiha Omotesando, Tokyo, Japan

The Illoiha Omotesando fitness club in Tokyo, Japan, is spread across two below-ground floors of a building. Architect firm nendo therefore decided to create an unusual two-storey workout area to unify the space.

To express the original brand concept of “becoming beautiful through movement”, nendo chose the theme of rock-climbing in Omotesando. “We developed a design that uses the mismatch between a rugged outdoor sport and Tokyo’s fashion district to its advantage,” explains a spokesperson for nendo. “Instead of the usual rough and outdoorsy climbing wall, we came up with the idea of using interior design elements like picture frames, mirrors, deer heads, bird cages and flower vases to create a challenging wall with hard-to-find holds and unusual finger grips.

“We hope our unique Omotesando-style climbing wall inspires newcomers to try out the sport, and kicks off a new wave of fitness with style.”

The Tokyo club sets a new trend in designer climbing walls

The club occupies two below-ground floors

TAKE ME TO CHURCH

DAVIDBARTONGYM LIMELIGHT, NEW YORK, US

Opened in November 2014, New York’s DavidBartonGym Limelight is located in a building that was previously a church and then later a nightclub.

Working with interior design company Studio Sofield, the design brief was to fuse the original architecture of the building with the brand’s rebellious gym style. Members enter through an active bell tower and are surrounded by original stone structures and stained glass windows while they work out, with features including a power lifting chapel.

“With each DavidBartonGym, we infuse the design with our signature elements while staying true to the area where the
gym is located,” says designer Bill Sofield.

“With Limelight, we kept several of the classic elements of the space, giving a sophisticated wink to the venue’s past as both a church and a nightclub, while making sure we put our DavidBartonGym spin on its future.”

Church architecture informs the design

The site had also been a nightclub

The bell tower is still active

The brand is known for its rebellious style

The club’s design fuses old with new

Original church features remain intact

LINES OF SIGHT

The Third Space, London, UK

he building The Third Space occupies, in London’s Soho, was originally designed for the house staff of the hotel across the street. Its very low floor-to-ceiling heights and antiquated servicing put off most potential operators who were considering a health club project – but The Third Space team saw this as an opportunity to design a unique space.

The vision – delivered by Mark Goldstein of Goldstein Ween Architects – was to create a lifestyle environment of activities and spaces connected vertically through voids and glass floors and horizontally through layers of open planning, producing long vistas within the tight horizons of the club while at the same time channelling real sunlight throughout all levels. 

The design was never intended to reflect the corporate efficiency of the typical health club chain, the exclusivity of the high-end private club or the decorative thematic expressions of speciality health spas, but was more about the simplicity and vitality of natural health. The club was opened in 2000.

Spaces in the club have been connected vertically

Natural light floods through the building

The Third Space offers a ‘lifestyle environment’

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