As a Health spa interior designer we have worked on a couple of Health Spas and have enjoyed the process. It was a very collaborative approach with an involved and adaptive client. Our initial brief was to design the cafe area and reception, but as time progressed and we made the most of the spaces we were allocated we eventually got to plan all floors for both sites. The first site we designed was in Tunbridge Wells and was apart from a large roof light was architecturally numb from an interiors point of view. This meant we had more freedom to create our own aesthetic, but also had to make more of an effort to bring the interior to life.
We have worked on a couple of Health Spas and have enjoyed the process. It was a very collaborative approach with an involved and adaptive client. Our initial brief was to design the cafe area and reception, but as time progressed and we made the most of the spaces we were allocated we eventually got to plan all floors for both sites.
Health Spa Interior Designer – T Wells
The first site we designed for Natural Fit was in Tunbridge Wells and was apart from a large roof light was architecturally numb from an interiors point of view. This meant we had more freedom to create our own aesthetic, but also had to make more of an effort to bring the interior to life.
Health Spa Interior Designer – Hove
The Hove site was originally a church and was later used as a gymnastics centre. Natural Fit acquired the building and have brought it into the 21st century. The original building had a basement and a ground floor, with a very large void upto ceiling level. To make the most of the space the client wanted to insert two more floors. This was done in a way that worked with the building and allows members to see the architectural detailing in a more close up and engaging way. The cafe has been housed with a new glass extension which is filled with light and makes the most of the afternoon light. Due to the strong architectural detailing of the church we had a lot more to relate our design to. This was very much in contrast to the Tunbridge Wells site.
Health Spa Services
Health spa interior design is one of the most involved types of interior design we have encountered. It won’t surprise you to know that services are one of the first and last things to consider when setting out the design. When you then try to fit the services into an existing shell it then can be quite a challenge. The important services to consider are the heating and ventilation of the different types of spaces. The pool will need to be kept at a different temperature and humidity to the changing rooms, cafe and studios. It is also good to have separate air conditioning systems handling certain aspects of the interior incase one of them fails and that part of the site needs to be closed whilst it is fixed. Moving and heating / chilling air takes up power and space and will also need a route through the building which is as efficient as possible. At Engaging Interiors we have experience in working with M & E consultants and contractors developing ways of routing services in a way that doesn’t impact the interior in a negative way.
How to plan a Health Spa
The first thing to consider as a health spa interior designer is how many members are you looking to have in your building at one time. This is the chicken and egg part of the business plan is do you limit the amount of members due to the size of the site you have acquired or do you find a site to match the amount of members you need to make your business model work?
From our experience the crunch areas as far as numbers go are the pool and the changing rooms. The studios and gym floor will have a quick turnover and the cafe will also be easier to manage from a members point of view.
The other decision to make is how do you want members or non members to use your Health Spa? Is it only for members or can non members use the cafe? Are you going to encourage body builders or are you focusing on cardio style training? You might think it can be for everyone, these decisions are important and need to be made at an early stage.
We have enjoyed working with Natural Fit and hopefully work with them again as they expand. If we can help your business grow or improve please get in touch.