THE GYM THAT FEELS a bit LIKE A PUB
Gym refurbishment
Location:
St. Anne's House, Bristol
Client:
Bristol Co-op Gym
Type:
Social, Collaboration, Community, Sports
Size:
100 sqm
Scope:
Internal refurbishment
Bristol Co-operative Gym worked with 2A1M on the design of our new weightlifting studio. They were adaptable and open to a co-design process that fitted with the ethos of our organisation, which was so important to us.
- Guy
The Bristol Co-operative Gym have now completed the fit out of their new home on the third floor of St Anne’s House in Bristol and are enjoying the benefits of having a permanent, super-stylish home.
Run strictly as a members co-operative and underpinned at all times by their founding aims of accessibility and inclusivity, the Gym offers a culture free from judgement and assumptions about identity and appearance.
From the outset, 2A1M Studio worked closely with the entire Co-operative to deliver an affordable, functional fit out based on legibility and adaptability and with a strong emphasis on providing opportunities for members to relax, chat and foster the unique culture and community at the heart of the gym.
The former office space was rationalised and adapted, with existing assets such as the generous window façade and hidden shuttered concrete soffit revealed and promoted. The design provides deep textured reveals to the windows that identify the gym from outside.
Unsightly services on the window elevation have been hidden inside an occupiable, deep storage wall, able to house the multitude of oddly shaped (and very heavy) equipment required for the free weight sessions.
Expertly fabricated and installed by our amazing joiner friends at Hot Soup House, the fit-out is opportunistic, playful, and committed to the Gym’s ethos of inclusivity, we hope it helps this wonderful organisation to thrive for many years to come.
What our clients say
"Bristol Co-operative Gym worked with 2A1M on the design of our new weightlifting studio. They were adaptable and open to a co-design process that fitted with the ethos of our organisation, which was so important to us. We alternated between group work for idea generation and more focused periods where they would interpret what had been discussed and refine that into design possibilities to present back to the group. As far as we know, this is the first time a gym has been designed in this way. The result is a radical reimagining of what a training space can look and feel like that has continued to develop as it is used by our members - exactly what was intended. The warm, inviting character of the space is often commented on by newcomers. We are delighted by what was achieved within such a tight timeframe and the specific budget we raised through our crowdfunder."
Guy - Client
