Gone are the days of a utilitarian gym where you went simply to lift weights. Today's gyms are health and wellness escapes, as evident in the recently completed Gym Town location in Hong Kong.

Gym Town recently relocated to a prime address in Hong Kong's Central district. It commissioned Myron Kwan, Founder and Creative Director of local design firm M.R. Studio to design the space. The result is an unconventional and futuristic fitness space which transports its members from the bustling metropolitan city of Hong Kong into an otherworldly environment that mesmerizes and motivates.

Kwan was inspired by his dream of living on Mars for this project and reimagined these Mars-inspired elements through a sensual lens. The escalator that transports guests to the spacious establishment offers a first glimpse of the theme, with its rounded, copper-toned, tunnel-like design and disc-shaped lighting fixtures resembling glowing spaceships.

Upon stepping inside the 6,000-square-foot gym occupying an entire floor of On Hing Building, guests will take note of the celestial communal area, where the sofas are in the orange-reddish colour of our planetary neighbour. Adorned with sleek metal finishes and cracked glass details, the custom-made reception desk lamps capture the silhouette of high-gain antennas that were exploited during space exploration. The planetary system inspired the ceiling design with flying stones. Since the communal area lacked natural light, the team incorporated a skylight in the middle of the reception area to flood the space with light.

The Mars theme continues into other parts of the gym, including the luxurious change rooms utilizing bespoke materials. The sink was crafted from antique brass, which added a touch of elegance and sophistication to the space. The flooring was laid with an irregular checkered patterned tile, providing depth and texture to the room. The same custom lamps are now found in the form of wall sconces illuminating the vanity area.

To create a natural and warm feeling, we opted to use oak wood for the made-up desk in the changing rooms. This material added a sense of comfort and relaxation to the space, enhancing the overall wellness experience. The ethereal qualities of the changing rooms are in stark contrast to the bold, vibrant and almost utilitarian workout area outside.

Kwan explains that this is due to the key challenge of working within a limited budget to outfit the expansive gym. He chose to highlight the main entrance and reception area to capture the client's attention and immediately establish a sense of luxury. Marble-like tiles with a beautiful grain pattern in the changing rooms create a sense of opulence. Bold, contrasting colour combinations on the walls and lighter colours on the ceiling helped to address the issue of lower ceiling heights in the reception and change room areas to create an illusion of height and spaciousness.

Kwan’s design strategy succeeded in that one would never have guessed that the project had a limited budget with its impactful entrance and communal spaces. The thoughtful approach to focus on key areas while making the gym and workout area more friendly and approachable with a more utilitarian yet still bold design made financial sense and didn’t compromise on the space’s ability to surprise and delight guests.

PROJECT DETAILS

Project Team: M.R. STUDIO

Location: Hong Kong

Completion: March 2023

Photography: Steven Ko