Equinox Miracle Mile
Los Angeles
Gold-dipped fluted columns and a pristine, glass-enclosed entry are the first signs that Equinox Miracle Mile has surpassed even the most sophisticated gym designs. The repurposed former TV studio and office now offers a balanced and relaxed environment with a streamlined look “that reflects both the energy of the neighborhood and the brand,” explains project architect Zhiliang Xiao of MBH Architects’ San Francisco office, with wine, gold, and cool gray tones melding with wood and stone. But it’s the continuous wave-like curve (on walls and ceilings) illuminated with a warm glow that is a soothing, eye-catching thread throughout the multistory atrium building, guiding members to the club’s many offerings, including four fitness studios, an open studio, spa treatment rooms, a juice bar, and a shop. “As the ceiling feature peels off into a double curve, a gold liner is revealed between two soffits to add a new layer of sophistication to the palette,” she adds.

Equinox Miracle Mile

Potters Park Court
Auckland, New Zealand
The maximalism movement is finding ground in even the most unsuspecting places, including public parks in New Zealand thanks to Park Life, which designs and builds active spaces for parks and neighborhoods to promote healthy living. The company is giving street ball new meaning with basketball courts like the one at Potters Park in Auckland. Resplendent in sumptuous tones of tangerine and blue, the court welcomes a “dose of happy energy that draws people into the space and promotes fun,” explains Park Life director Sally Farmer.

Potters Park Court

Minneapolis Bouldering Project
To breathe new life into the industrial rock-climbing center in Minneapolis, Dylan Johnson of Santa Barbara, California firm DJA Architects and Austin, Texas-based designer Lilianne Steckel channeled a bright and airy aesthetic, choosing a cheerful blue tone for climbing walls with multihued hand and foot holds so as not to “overwhelm the members on these large, expansive walls,” she says. A handpainted mural from local art group Impulse Creative covers a wall behind the reception desk, layering patterns and color for a dramatic effect, while stadium seating, multipurpose cubbies, benches, and an array of colorful seating encourage climbers to take a well-deserved break from the physical activity.

Minneapolis Bouldering Project