Not Just A Floor

Fitness facility matches fl ooring choices to activities for an optimal experience.

GymNation’s fi rst fi tness facility in Al Quoz, United Arab Emirates, offers a wide array of programs and equipment options to ensure a pleasant experience for fi rst–time gymgoers as well as the most dedicated athletes.

The 40,000-sq.-ft. facility features specific zones for each exercise— weight lifting, plate-loaded, free weights, cardio, boxing, CrossFit, functional fitness, running track, and group fitness classes. The facility includes a 4,000-sq.-ft. group-exercise studio, an 1,800-sq.-ft. spinning studio, a section for personal trainers, and, to meet Middle Eastern culture demands, a ladies-only gym with a 3,000-sq.-ft. area of Matrix fitness equipment.

GymNation CEO Loren Holland partnered with Johnson Health Tech ME, Taichung City, Taiwan, to specify and design the facility from top to bottom. A key component of the facility’s design included the specification of resilient flooring from Ecore Athletic, Lancaster, PA.

“Selecting the right flooring for each area of the facility was paramount to assuring an optimal experience for guests,” said Holland.

Johnson Health Tech ME, the sole supplier of fitness equipment for the GymNation project, recommended Ecore Athletic flooring in the early stages of the design process. The Johnson team worked to create a cohesive space while selecting specific materials and equipment for each zone.

“Working with our design team, we proposed the appropriate products to meet client expectations in terms of quality, performance, force reduction, and energy restitution based on the equipment and exercise programs,” said Mohamed Fetouh, regional key account manager with Johnson Health Tech ME.

Ecore flooring products incorporated throughout the facility include: • Bounce 2, a synthetic wood-grain surface fusion bonded to a 5-mm base layer picked for the group exercise studio to support constant movement and feet pounding • Everlast, a vulcanized composition-rubber product for areas focused on cardio, functional fitness, personal trainer work, and walkways • Speed & Agility Turf, a textured-nylon wear layer installed to create the natural feeling of running outside and for sled work, marking the first time this material has been used in a UAE fitness facility • Performance Rally, a 2.5-mm wear layer with a 12-mm shock-absorbing base layer selected for free-weight areas, due to the thickness and density level that provide higher force reduction and energy restitution • Spectator, a 2.5-mm luxury vinyl tile chosen for the spinning studio.

For Holland, choosing the right flooring material was a top priority for realizing the design vision. “It is not just a floor. We consider flooring as important of a product in the gym as any other piece of equipment, all equally contributing to the success of the services we provide,” he said. “While our members really enjoy the overall experience in the facility, our running track has collected the highest score in our member satisfaction surveys.” CA

Above. GymNation’s fi rst fi tness facility in the United Arab Emirates features dedicated zones for each exercise with fl ooring specifi ed to match the activity.

Below. Ecore Performance Rally, with a 2.5-mm wear layer and a 12-mm shock- absorbing base layer was selected for free-weight areas to provide higher force reduction and energy restitution.

Want more information from Ecore (ecoreintl.com)? Circle 5 on the Reader Service Card. Sources listed below are linked at commercialarchitecturemagazine.com/1901ecore. GymNation, gymnation.ae

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