Physical by Panorama: 2017 Best of Year Winner for Fitness
Olivia Newton-John’s pop anthem “Physical” from 1981 filled founder Horace Pan’s head as he brainstormed the rebranding of a gym of the same name, and the result, the first mainland Chinese outpost of a Hong Kong chain, is definitely dance-party ready. This was also the firm’s first gym project, so Pan spent hours researching ways to elevate the experience. “If you can exercise at home,” he asked himself, “why even go to the gym?” It has to offer something different. Thus began his idea for a form-follows-function “gym-scape,” where bold design would inspire peak performance.
The high ceiling of the 21,500-square-foot space meant that he could wrap it in folding, faceted drywall, spray-painted charcoal gray, without compromising the openness. These dark swaths set off sharp-lined fluorescent ceiling fixtures. In the center of the floor, angled planes of red-tinted glass enclose the Spinning room. “The dynamic lines invite people to move,” he explains. Equally energizing is the blue and yellow light projected onto the walls and ceiling. The light show pulsates to a rhythmic beat: the recorded BPM of one of the gym’s personal trainers.
Project Team: Vivian Chan; Wing Chan; Kamen Tsang.
> See more from the December 2017 issue of Interior Design
> See all 2017 Best of Year winners and honorees
