Chioco Design Fosters Community Through E + E Fitness in Austin
She graduated from MIT, and then had a successful 25 years in finance and technology. But Becky Brown was also a Division 1 gymnast, who’s now a self-described fitness fanatic. So she recently decided to open her own Austin, Texas, exercise studio. Her goals for it were three-pronged: that it be functional, aesthetically exceptional, and foster a sense of community. Chioco Design helped her achieve them all with E + E Fitness, the E’s standing for elevate and evolve.
Encompassing 4,000 square feet, the experience begins in reception, where low-slung sofas with built-in side tables offering beverage surfaces are upholstered in steel-gray wool. “We custom-designed the lounge-y seating for it to be communal,” says principal Jamie Chioco, who worked with managing project designer Michael Chaveriat. Indeed, clients hang out here before and after high-energy bootcamp and kickboxing classes. Sealed concrete and blackened steel further the industrial vibe. But oversize vinyl graphics of athletes and extensive white oak balance all the toughness. Horizontal slats of the latter harmonize with the logo. Vertical ones enclose the locker room in a graceful curve that Chioco says “reflects movement.”
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