easyGym’s colour scheme fits well with the finding that bright colours in CV zones help raise the heart rate
Small touches Graham Bryant, project manager for the Llantrissant Leisure Centre project, believes members can be energised and inspired without it costing the earth or requiring a fundamental re-jig of a club layout: “Users are becoming more discerning and are expecting a private sector feel in a public sector facility. We often have to create a five-star feel with a two-star budget. People’s perception of public sector is that it’s poorly maintained and offers function over style, but we’ve raised the bar over the years to address how people feel in a facility. The right design team can achieve a £70/sq m look for £25/sq m.” At Llantrissant, a wall of stripy wallpaper has been used
Before and after (above left and right): Llantrissant’s revamped changing areas
of its clubs – a 836sq m (9,000sq ft) warehouse – features LED lighting to add ambience and colour wash the walls. In fact, clever lighting is increasingly being used to
in reception instead of paint, injecting style at a lower cost. Dominic Evans at PE Contracts also recommends being creative with walls: graffi ti, wallpaper and vinyl prints are all effective without being expensive. “It’s important for the whole design to work together: fl oors, ceilings and walls,” he says. “People notice the overall design concept but not the nitty gritty. They don’t take too much notice of what the fl oor covering is, but rather the overall feel of the place.”
Creative psychology Ian Cotgrave, MD of Createability, agrees that inspiring and motivating design can be created within a budget, provided there’s ample creativity. “The current thinking is that clubs have to be bright, light, airy and contemporary,” he says. With its work for low-cost operator KISS Gyms, Createability created a look around its logo of a pair of lips. A colour palate of red, grey, black and white was used, and one
January 2014 © Cybertrek 2014
infl uence members’ perceptions and create a feeling of quality. Accent lighting such as lights around mirrors can be effective, and for leisure centres, installing feature lighting in sports halls means they can double up as dance studios. Mass Designers used lighting to enhance the fi ve-star
effect at premium PT facility Healthhaus, based in St Helier, Jersey. Contrast lighting, indirect lighting, pin spots (tightly controlled down-lights) and some unusual pendant lights have all been used to good effect. Since the ethos at Healthhaus is to offer a personalised
service, break-out areas have also been designed into the gym, providing a place for members to talk to PTs and gym instructors. Such design touches can help ensure members perceive the club to be collaborative and supportive, with plenty of opportunity for interaction. Even if budgets are small, by understanding member
expectations and psychology, clubs can use design and layout to enhance and influence the member experience throughout the fitness journey. ●
Read Health Club Management online at
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital 73
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