Mecca Gym & Spa
mecca Gym & Spa was conceived by the two Owners of bella Salon of Austin to be a fantastic retreat in the heart of Austin, Texas. As a Senior Associate in the firm of Steinbomer & Associates Architects and the original Designer/Project Manager of this project (after schematic design when I left the firm), Robert and I were gifted with an excellent team featuring, but not limited to, Judy Birdsong, Sarah Michelman and Mark Evans, Associates at the firm. Our team began feasibility studies to explore the appropriate location for the downtown venture to create an inspiring community space for personalized fitness and world-class spa services. Initially, we explored three different locations, ultimately designing a fourth simply on the front portion of site number three (to be developed by the Owner of 524 N. Lamar).
The Client desired a gracious entrance, a large, flexible central space for workout including auxiliary group training areas and private coaching, a spacious and tranquil spa area with private rooms, dressing areas complemented by a wet sauna, showering stalls, an office including a personal showering room, and even the more, a health bar/lounge. Suzanne was asked to travel to several spas in order to acquire the aesthetic and mood that the Owner requested, and did. With a refreshed sense of the Owner's desire, we began our layout, educating ourselves on the different types and sizes of equipment, defining minimal dimensions of spa rooms, coordinating with Engineers on the equipment requirements and laying out the dressing, showering and locker zones. Once defined, we began to look at organizing these spaces and making them handsomely functional. Mind you, this exercise was required four times . . . better each time.
Homework done with the Owner and Equipment/Material Representatives, not to mention our engineers, facilitated our understanding and design of typical workout requirements, communication stations for both client and staff needs, laundry services, and overall use patterns. The Client traveled abroad extensively to acquire unique ideas and materials such as lighting, fixtures, fittings, tile, and other ornamental pieces. Each space began to evolve into its own individual space. Upon suggestion through a referenced image of a curved vaulted ceiling, the interior aesthetic, as well as the name, was defined: mecca. Each space continued its development, the main workout space included a highly-detailed back-lit coffered ceiling and full (shaded) window walls for Texas sun/heat tolerance, the bar for smoothies or wine, the spa lounge including the curved vault ceiling with concealed light fixtures, complimented by private dressing rooms, columns in the hall up-lighting the passage to the dressing areas, portholes @ the marble shower areas with glass enclosures, an exterior patio for lounging and the full re-sheathing of the elevators to initiate the wonderful experience from the ground floor up. A lovely space, embracing the experience of entry through low entry points which gracefully open into grand spaces.
Since my work on this project, the gym has grown and several additions have been made.
PROJECT TEAM:
Client: Owner, mecca gym & spa, Austin, Texas
Owner: Owner and Developer, 524 N. Lamar, Austin, Texas
Architect: Robert Steinbomer, Principal, Steinbomer & Associates Architects
Designer: Suzanne Rose, Senior Associate, Steinbomer & Associates Architects
Workforce: The entire staff of Steinbomer & Associates Architects
MEP Engineers: Tom Green & Company Engineers, Inc.
The Client desired a gracious entrance, a large, flexible central space for workout including auxiliary group training areas and private coaching, a spacious and tranquil spa area with private rooms, dressing areas complemented by a wet sauna, showering stalls, an office including a personal showering room, and even the more, a health bar/lounge. Suzanne was asked to travel to several spas in order to acquire the aesthetic and mood that the Owner requested, and did. With a refreshed sense of the Owner's desire, we began our layout, educating ourselves on the different types and sizes of equipment, defining minimal dimensions of spa rooms, coordinating with Engineers on the equipment requirements and laying out the dressing, showering and locker zones. Once defined, we began to look at organizing these spaces and making them handsomely functional. Mind you, this exercise was required four times . . . better each time.
Homework done with the Owner and Equipment/Material Representatives, not to mention our engineers, facilitated our understanding and design of typical workout requirements, communication stations for both client and staff needs, laundry services, and overall use patterns. The Client traveled abroad extensively to acquire unique ideas and materials such as lighting, fixtures, fittings, tile, and other ornamental pieces. Each space began to evolve into its own individual space. Upon suggestion through a referenced image of a curved vaulted ceiling, the interior aesthetic, as well as the name, was defined: mecca. Each space continued its development, the main workout space included a highly-detailed back-lit coffered ceiling and full (shaded) window walls for Texas sun/heat tolerance, the bar for smoothies or wine, the spa lounge including the curved vault ceiling with concealed light fixtures, complimented by private dressing rooms, columns in the hall up-lighting the passage to the dressing areas, portholes @ the marble shower areas with glass enclosures, an exterior patio for lounging and the full re-sheathing of the elevators to initiate the wonderful experience from the ground floor up. A lovely space, embracing the experience of entry through low entry points which gracefully open into grand spaces.
Since my work on this project, the gym has grown and several additions have been made.
PROJECT TEAM:
Client: Owner, mecca gym & spa, Austin, Texas
Owner: Owner and Developer, 524 N. Lamar, Austin, Texas
Architect: Robert Steinbomer, Principal, Steinbomer & Associates Architects
Designer: Suzanne Rose, Senior Associate, Steinbomer & Associates Architects
Workforce: The entire staff of Steinbomer & Associates Architects
MEP Engineers: Tom Green & Company Engineers, Inc.