Nightclub and fitness design: CRUNCH
- Preliminary Crunch South Beach PT bar
Bigtime Design Studios has recently been chosen as the design firm to handle the complete re-branding of the national fitness brand Crunch and their new vision. Described by former brand manager of Morgans Hotel Group, Tim Miller as “the apex where nightlife and fitness combine” this concept is so fresh that I am certain together we will revolutionize the way people stay fit and fresh. As a design driven concept we are exploring lots of innovative ways to provide interactive and unique experiences to distract you from the fact that you may not be thrilled about working out.
As we have quickly learned, the psychographic that is so dominant in nightclub design is equally as prevalent in upscale fitness design. Whenever people gather whether it is on the dance floor or in a group fitness room there is a social magic that we, as designers must create. At the end of the day, anyone can buy lighting, sound or gym equipment. They just won’t know where to put it. That is your designer’s job.
The million dollar question would be; HOW DO I DO THAT?
Not a simple answer, but firstly, focus on schematic design as this is the singular most important phase in design. There will be many designers who will adamantly disagree and I say let them. If enough time is not spent on how people will flow around your space and how they interact within it then you are fighting an uphill battle. Regardless of what finishes and fixtures you buy, and regardless of the money spent on sound, lights or video, the space will never have the emotional magic that occurs in public space when social groups gather. Good nightlclub design reacts with you, NOT to you!
Take a look at some of Bigtime Design’s previous nightclub design to see a case in point. Specifically Crobar New York and The Cameo South Beach. These are monumental complex spaces that required a massive amount of heavy lifting in the schematic design phase to create the flow that provided intimate yet grand gestures that were in the end, simple and human.
Aside from location, location, location remember schematic, schematic schematic!
Cal