There are many things to consider when designing a commercial gym or home gym—from flooring, equipment, paint colors, and so much more. Planning and researching, creating a functional gym layout, smart storage solutions, and selecting quality equipment is time-consuming and requires expertise to get it right.
While you may consider hiring a team of experts for your gym design, a Functional Design Specialist is an integral part of that team.
Functional Design Specialists offer perspective toward cutting-edge facility planning, design direction, and project implementation. They understand that the crux of successful design lies in the ethos of the facility and – most importantly – the end user’s experience. Therefore, the role that Functional Design Specialists play in gym design is unique.
What is a Functional Design Specialist?
Functional Design Specialists have a unique skill set. They deliver a client-specific solution that ultimately results in the best experience for the intended end user. Formal education in design disciplines, coupled with a deep understanding of the inner workings of a fitness facility provides clients with unparalleled expertise in how to plan their facilities. Their services are very unique, so while they do not provide traditional architecture or interior design services, they complement those disciplines remarkably well.
They sweat the details, delivering recommendations, detailed floorplans, and rendering assets that take into consideration a number of critical factors, including a natural flow within the space, a balanced zoning approach, appropriate energy zones adjacencies, optimized functional occupancy and more.
Collaboration with the Design Team
Functional Design Specialists take a highly collaborative approach with the client’s broader team of architects and designers, who are skilled and talented professionals in their respective areas, to achieve the best outcome. Essentially, architects develop the drawings for permitting and work to get the facility built, interior designers layer in details of paint colors, wallpaper, light fixture types and esthetics, and Functional Design Specialists drive the functionality and ultimately the experience within the facility.
Not many designers have the knowledge base to advise on optimizing a fitness space specifically. So, this collaborative approach is extremely advantageous. And without a knowledgeable fitness consultant, the design could arguably miss the mark on the most important aspect, which again, is how the gym is going to function.
Below are a few examples of elements the Functional Design Specialists work on collaboratively, bringing their respective areas of expertise to each project:
- Fitness Zones & Balance
Zoning and balance are a huge part of what Functional Design Specialists focus on in the early stages with clients. The first deliverable is a zoning diagram, which represents what they heard in the discovery sessions with the client. The architect has likely developed the spatial framework for the fitness facility, but Functional Design Specialists work with the client to figure out how to balance the categories of fitness to meet their unique needs. Cardio, strength, functional, recovery, and studio zones often show up in most projects in some capacity but depending on the market segment and the client type, the exact balance and unique solutions vary quite drastically. Functional Design Specialists provide clients with expertise in the market while also ensuring they really listen to what they would like to create. It is the marriage of their unique expertise and the client’s unique vision that produces the best outcomes for clients.
Once they establish the right balance, Functional Design Specialists then move into details such as what specific equipment pieces go into each one of those zones, electrical requirements to support, flooring types and transitions, functional mirror locations, branding, and much more.
- Space and Function
While architects define certain aspects of a gym or studio, such as wall types, column placement, where doors should be positioned for egress, etc, Functional Design Specialists work with the client to determine how the overall gym space and/or studio will be experienced. With every space, there are questions to consider. When it comes to a specialized space like a studio for example there is important information to gather. What kind of fitness classes may be offered? What kinds of accessories or equipment are required to support the desired class formats? Do they have a certain number of participants they are trying to accommodate for? How can they maximize the space they have while maintaining a great experience for participants? Is the facility going to offer instructors and trainers and/or digital guidance?
- Flooring
Functional Design Specialists assist with flooring selections when it comes to material, location, and transitions to enhance the experience of each exercise zone. Interior Designers choose the specific color and finish within the categories they select.
- Mirror Locations
Functional Design Specialists focus is on where they need mirrors to support the functionality of the fitness experience. The interior designers’ focus is on material and finish, lighting within or around the mirror, etc.
- Future Proofing
Functional Design Specialists envision the facility now, and far into the future, and help to ensure that it can flex and adjust to trends and needs. This future planning is related to electrical, planning for outdoor adjacent spaces, the types of flexible/smart storage they place, and more.
Perhaps Functional Design Specialists’ greatest inspiration in partnering with clients, architects and interior designers is to develop the next generation of highly sought-after exercise experiences.