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"Our membership has more than doubled since moving from the old premises and feedback from customers is overwhelmingly positive. We have stretched our standards as a result of this project and believe a new benchmark has been set for the fitness industry" Paraic Mooney, Westpark Fitness After out-growing the existing premises, the management of this emerging leisure and fitness group required a design which achieved high standards using new ideas, maximised use of space and daylight and one which had low energy consumption and low running costs. The response to the brief was driven by a desire to maximise flexibility while also creating a series of inter-linked spaces of varying scale and volume that function as a whole. This is achieved by means of a series of terraced rectangular floor plates which step down from the narrow weight-training area overlooking the wider cardio-fitness hub beneath. This in turn has views through a frameless glass wall to the stainless steel pool below. Great emphasis was placed on natural light penetration with extensive strip-glazing to the perimeters of the gym spaces at high level and a broad skylight bisecting the curved roof. External finishes were selected with a view to durability, budget and speed of construction. A matrix of coloured Trespa panelling in varying shades of blue, the West Park corporate colour, are used to highlight entrances and frame a glazed box on the Greenhills Road elevation. This contains a hive of activity with juice bar at Ground Level spilling out onto external timber decking and the spinning studio above. All of this designed with a view to attracting new clientele and drawing the existing members in. Westpark Fitness Centre was selected as a finalist in the prestigious Retail and Leisure Property Award in 2005. |
