Design Practice 3A
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY – ACTIVE FITNESS CENTRE
What is it?
Active Health Club is a Health and Fitness Club located in North Ryde, Sydney.
It is a ‘members only’ club that caters to the local businesses in Macquarie Park.
The gym therefore focuses mostly on aerobic fitness, with the other on weights.
Why is Active members only?
Originally Active was a large community gym that anyone could attend, however as Fitness First
opened up in Carlingford, then North Ryde, Active was forced to re-work its corporate and community
goals.
The club decided to tap directly into the surrounding businesses providing facilities for fitness and
training, and also recreation.
What are the facilities?
Aerobics gym, free weights and weight machines, outdoor 25 m pool, full size tennis court,
physiotherapy, pilates studio, massage room, solarium, car parking, attached café, complimentary
DVD hire, visitor / member lounge, and a conference room.
How does this relate to the Block and what is desired there?
Active is very different to what is desired at the Block. The health and fitness centre at the Block will
be open to the public like the Summit, therefore allowing a much larger number of people to attend.
The main difference is that the Elouera gym wishes to be integral to the community, whereas Active
ensures that there is a strong community within the gym. This community would be more difficult to
foster in a larger environment such as the Summit.
The Elouera gym would focus very differently on the equipment used. Whilst Active has a very large
number of aerobic machines and weight machines along with the pool, tennis court, solarium etc.
Elouera would be more focussed on free weights, boxing equipment, the boxing ring etc.
What aspects of the building work?
The orientation of the building to Lane Cove Road, forces it to face East-West. However, it uses the
hillside to shield the West so that the gym is opened to the East.
Change rooms are near entrance so that as people enter, they go through the change rooms to the
gym.
What aspects don’t work?
The entrance is hidden. This firstly makes it difficult to find, but also quenches any welcoming
atmosphere.
The windows to the east are not large enough to allow light penetration to the back wall of the gym.
Some of the supplementary services are forced into rooms that are more enclosed, promoting a
feeling of exclusiveness.
The gym is very cramped, whilst this ensures more equipment, it is a safety hazard.
The Elouera gym is keen on natural air and light. Active doesn’t use much of either.
Why Active?
Active represents a Health and Fitness centre that has very different goals to the Block or the
Summit. Active is about the internal community, whereas the Block will be about the external
community.
Active also compliments the Block well, as Active is geared towards business men and women and
the facilities that would attract them, whereas the Block would have to appeal to the Aboriginal
community, including the women, as well as university students (young people), and the Redfern
community. As a result, the Block has to provide not only the boxing, but the more general fitness
and health facilities that Active has in part.
Alan Powell, John McLennan
Design Practice 3A
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY – AEROBICS PLUS, BLAXLAND
What is it?
Aerobics Plus is a small fitness centre located in Blaxland, the Lower Blue Mountains. It caters for
the local community, the surrounding suburbs of the Lower Blue Mountains. Because of its humble
size it has a close-knit feel and members and visitors experience a sense of belonging.
What are the facilities?
Free weights and machine gym, squash court, aerobics studio, crèche room, cycling studio, cardio
studio, car-parking facilities.
How does this relate to the Block and what is desired there?
The facilities are perhaps too small for what is desired in the proposed Redfern gym. Also, focuses
on certain facilities are different eg. a boxing gym is required rather than squash courts. Also,
facilities are limited, for example, the number of machines/free weights in the weights gym, which can
sometimes affect an individual as they workout. However, an appropriate size for the Redfern gym
and its facilities must be carefully calculated, and not overdone, as the community ‘vibe’ must be
achieved and this gets harder as the gym and its facilities increase in size.
What aspects of the building work?
The exterior and size of the building is unimposing on the quiet street on which it resides. The
grounds on site have been sensitively landscaped to address the bush surrounding it. This creates a
calm feeling on arrival. Inside, Reception has been placed in the corner inoffensively rather than a
“guarded gate” seen in larger gyms. The continuity and visibility between adjacent rooms provides a
desirable atmosphere as it enhances ‘togetherness’. A central walkway on which rooms extend
outwards provides an area by which clients can see and hear each room working. The interior décor
which is light and colourful adds to the warmth and friendliness of the gym.
What aspects don’t work?
Facilities are limited, such as the number of machines/free weights in the weights gym, which can
sometimes affect an individual as they workout.
Why Aerobics Plus?
The smallness of the gym creates the friendly, community atmosphere and this should be taken into
consideration when designing the Redfern gym. Continuity through planning was also successful in
adding to the overall atmosphere.
Alan Powell, John McLennan