Project: Fitness DEPO chain
Architects: ch.archteam
Location: Russia
Area: 2,852 sf (pilot fitness center)
Photographs by: Vlad Feoktistov
Fitness DEPO by ch.archteam
In this day and age, forward-looking companies around the world are hunting for the best professionals. In the 21st century, young managers are full of ambition and ready to give themselves to the work process. That is precisely why the most relevant question is how to make work not a heavy burden but a comfortable, creative process within a team of like-minded people.
In 2019, Russian Railways (the biggest player in the Russian passenger transportation market) approached us with a challenging task. Develop a plan of engaging employees in an internal sports community. We needed to create an attractive corporate cluster for communication between sports professionals and amateurs during a regular workout.
The result of our one-and-a-half-year work was a promising chain of fitness centers and sports arenas called Fitness DEPO (Rus. depot). Applying an integrated approach, we have developed all elements of a decent franchise — from an “identity” and a brand book to Guidelines to create typical interiors.
The main idea was based on a contrast of two colors — Graphite and Living Coral (the 2019 color according to Panton). Initially symbolizing a separation of flows in women’s and men’s locker rooms, these two colors became a symbolic representation of cosmopolitanism and gender equality within the corporate life of Russian Railways. Being the most affordable commercially, this technique (a sharp separation of space by color) came to the taste of the top management.
Additionally, we have managed a well-thought-out strategy by selecting perfect suppliers and typifying used materials. As a result, it became possible to reduce the cost of putting into operation of each center by 30-45%.
Currently, the company is going to open more than 300 clubs throughout the country and abroad for more than 700,000 employees. Workouts are completely free of charge for them, as well as a variety of group programs developed in a conjunction with World Class Fitness.
The photo below shows the pilot project DEPO1, located in the company’s general management building. At the moment, we supervise the construction of 4 more similar facilities in Moscow and are going to advise a couple of dozens in other cities.
-Project description and images provided by ch.archteam
Drawings
