Best Practice Architecture recently completed WORKout - a beautiful athletic space nestled into the Columbia Center in Downtown Seattle. With bold use of color, lighting, graphics and materials, the design team has developed an inventive and upscale amenity for the members of the building.
Fully reimagining several former retail storefront spaces into one for members of club WORKout, the design team created a new 7750sf location accommodating large, open work-out areas for innovative new equipment, a studio for classes, spa-like locker rooms, and a private massage suite. Taking ownership of not only the design of each space, Best Practice provided creative behind the WORKout graphics, coloring, and naming-curating a new kind of exercise environment geared towards excitement, freedom-of-movement, and luxury in every way.
New storefront glazing unites the formerly disparate spaces, providing a continuous facade along the corridor just opposite the grand staircase in the double-height atrium. Super cool herringbone wood paneling and lit signage designed by the Best Practice team lead you to the new entry to WORKout, where front desk staff sits ready to welcome guests. Warm, dark colors are juxtaposed with dynamic imagery, and expansive mirrors-all working to create an active atmosphere that emanates a sense of private luxury while mitigating the lack of natural light in the space.
A bright, wood-paneled portal acts as a clever separation between novice equipment and the more advanced pieces, creating an intuitive flow of people through the space. The exercise studio is a light and luminous room with storefront windows along one side, and mirrors and a large sliding glass door that connects back to the main gym on the other side. Storefront graphics shield studio-goers from those outside but allow peek-a-boo views of the action inside.
The locker rooms contrast the workout spaces by setting a calm tone, giving members a luxe environment to relax and get ready for their day. Italian tiled walls and floors echo the geometry and colors from the workout spaces, providing a bright counterpoint to Columbia Center's dramatic exterior. Quartz surfaces surround visitors in the airy main locker space, replete with white oak wood vanities, benches and herringbone paneled walls. Locally designed light fixtures complement the handsome fittings and fixtures with black framed mirrors and shower doors, creating cohesion and style, while pops of color delight and reference the connected exercise area.
Photography: Rafael Soldi