Overall look

Step 1: Understand the Problem

The problem posed in this design challenge is to create a place that both plays as a rehabilitation center as well as a functional gym. There are many guidelines and restrictions such as size constraints with the building itself as well as the lot, Covid protocols/guidelines, and all of the different aspects that need to be included with the gym.

Step 2: Research/Thought

The gym that I created had to have certain elements included. The different goals that James references in his video were that it needed to act as a regular functioning gym as well as a specialized rehabilitation center. To do that I integrated specific ideas to address that need. Since this gym would be located in Philadelphia I made sure that it wasn't too incredibly big. Making it two stories also helped alleviate the size restrictions that I had set. The individuals of this community might find the pool and the rehabilitation aspect itself very valuable. People from all around the area would be able to use every part of the gym for their own individual purposes. While researching this project I made sure to write down keywords that would help me fulfill James' vision. I made sure to acknowledge his want for design thinking, problem-solving, safety/Covid restrictions, and modernization. Those main points are what helped me in creating this design.

Step 3: Brainstorm

When brainstorming a design for this gym, I kept in mind all of the requirements that James specified in his webinar. He specified that this would act as a regular gym as well as a rehabilitation center. Being a rehabilitation center I made sure that the equipment would be more focused on that but also still be functional as a regular everyday gym. He mentioned that he might want in some form an aquatics area. With James wanting that I made sure to include a pool in the overall design. I also kept in mind all of the Covid restrictions that might be present. I took into consideration that things would need to be farther apart as well as the building size to accommodate that. I started by making a sketch of the building itself. I centered the design on the pool, with it being in the middle and the track that I included. I also made sure to include an area where trainers could work one on one with people that needed help with rehabilitation. In making an area like that I had to put it on the second floor, so I made sure to include an elevator for easy access. Other than those specific additions, I made it as normal and rational as possible. I had a normal workout area, locker rooms for both men and women, bathrooms, and a community meeting room. One notable thing I added was a laundry room on the second floor. It is located on the second floor which meant it would be mostly out of the way. When drawing up a design, I tried to make it seem as normal and rational as possible so that the layout as well as the intent would not be confusing.

Step 4: Create a Model, First and Second Floors.

In creating the model I tried to stay within what made sense. Everything that I would include I wanted to actually seem realistic. On the first floor, I started out with a decent entryway that walked into the lobby/front desk. I made it to where it was close to both the men's and women's bathrooms. Behind my front desk, I made the normal workout area. When creating this I decided to have it as a cardio area since the pool as well as the track would be on this floor. To the left of the cardio area was the stairs and to the right was the elevator. It ended up being symmetrical and since the rehabilitation/therapy area was upstairs it ended up making sense. Past the cardio area, you walk by the curved glass window into the pool room. To the left and right there are locker rooms which can be both accessed by the pool room and the track area since those would be the two main users of the space. Past the pool, you walk into the track area. I tried to make this room as big as possible so that way there was the most opportunity of it being a useful space. Walking back through the track area and the pool room you go back to the lobby from which you can access the second floor. On the second floor, you walk into a "T" shaped hallway. The "T" shaped hallway is designed to make access to the rooms as least confusing as possible. To the right, or left depending on if you took the elevator or stairs, you are met with a pair of bathrooms. Beyond the bathrooms, there are two special rooms dedicated to rehabilitation/therapy. Making all four rooms accessible required some ingenuity. I made the bathrooms square while making the therapy rooms a lowercase "b" shape. Doing that made all four rooms the appropriate size. Going straight from the therapy rooms you have your four square rooms. The first one on the left is a free weight room which has bench presses and squatting equipment, while on the one on the right you have your weight resistance room which focuses on rehabilitation as well as strength training. Past the first two rooms, you have your laundry room on the left and then your community meeting room on the right. In adding those rooms I felt that I had included every aspect that you would associate with a gym as well as putting extra thought into the rehabilitation aspect of the design.

Step 5: Iterate the Design

From my first sketch, there were some design elements that I wasn't completely sold on. In my first sketch, I completely ignored the fact that I might need more than one room for workout equipment. I also didn't have a laundry room or a meeting room. I also made the decision to not make the stairs and elevator into an extra hallway, instead just making them separate rooms to make it as simple as possible. With those few design changes, I made the overall aspect of the gym both simple as well as more functional.

Step 6: Communicate the Overall Design

I tried to make this design as simple as possible so that the functionality and the usefulness of the space could be taken full advantage of. With the design being more on the simplistic side, there is lots of room to vary the purposes of each space to fit accordingly with whatever changes that may occur. With the gym being as opened ended with which the design could go, I was able to include every aspect of what a standard gym is, as well as doubling it as a rehabilitation center. Every aspect that I included was thought out to make sure that it was both functional and still had some ingenuity to it. The overall design should serve each individual purpose of all who come. The community around which get to use a gym like this would be very pleased with the pool and the unconventional track that has been included. Overall the gym fits every purpose and narrative that an individual would need.

Thanks for your time and consideration of this design proposal, I would love as much feedback as possible to tweak and modify my design to better fit your vision/ideas.