Design for life
Big visions, well executed, mean big results. And visions don't come much bigger than this.
Planning and design are well underway on the new Les Mills club in Britomart. Targeted to open in April 2011, the scope of this 2200m² flagship gym is nothing less than improving the lives of New Zealanders.
The first steps towards achieving this vision were locating the right site, planning ahead and negotiating to make sure the building could deliver everything Les Mills needs, and designing an environment that inspires and motivates.
Finding the perfect site means putting members' convenience to the forefront. Les Mills National Property and Facility Manager Blair Wolfgram treats convenience not only as a 'must have', but another area where Les Mills can raise the bar.
"Convenience was a big driver of the site selection. What could be more convenient than being beneath 1200 car parks? Given the proximity of the Britomart Transport Centre and with new head offices springing up in the area, we can make it easy for inner city workers, residents and commuters to fit a workout in."
The Building Intelligence Group advised Les Mills to invest in the architectural concept before the lease was signed. This illustrated how Les Mills needed the space to work, allowing negotiations to be undertaken while there was still opportunity to make fundamental changes, and integrate essential services.
For example, additional depth was added to the Group Fitness studio to create height and more volume. Columns were removed to create more open space, and processes agreed so the gym fitout could proceed alongside the base build.
"It's vital our consultants are totally immersed in the member experience and how it impacts on everything from the development agreement to the services infrastructure. With this understanding and experience The Building Intelligence Group has already added significant value to the lease negotiations and architectural selection." Blair Wolfgram.
Les Mills' passion for making the environment inspiring to their members is also evident in the more visible aspects of the gym - the architecture, technology, audio visuals, graphics and signage.
The architects, Warren and Mahoney, who are undertaking their first Les Mills club, aim to create 'moments of intensity'. These reflect and enhance the variations in energy levels around the club by contrasting raw areas of exposed concrete and services with slick, interior lighting and audio visuals. The ultimate result will bring Les Mills' theatrical flair to every workout, and create a club each member will look forward to working out in.
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