Ally is a spin and pilates studio located at the Central Business District. Seeking to expand their pilates studio, Open Studio was engaged to transform a 150sqm office space and washrooms into the expanded pilates wing.
Celebrating the idea that Pilates enhances the plasticity of our bodies, playfulness and high plasticity was expressed materially through tubular plexiglass lined in a fluid manner, accented with stainless steel & high gloss features in shades of Ally’s brand pink. Inside the rooms, a soft nude cream carpet forms a subtle base to the reformers and chairs. Intentionally standing out from regular muted pilates studio spaces, Ally’s spatial and experiential setting was specifically geared to the young millennial & Gen Z members of the studio. The same palette lends itself at the new changing room, sauna and cold plunge designed as part of the new pilates wing.
We approached the main pilates wing by introducing a fluid translucent landscape spine as the divider between three spaces required of the existing 150sqm office room. This landscape spine wraps around three zones – the foyer, pilates chair studio and pilates reformer studio; allowing each program to occupy each its small, medium, large area in a new spatial economy. Performing a role greater than just separation between spaces, the spine is a visual anchor, with a landscape feature serving views is wrapped by a translucent wall composed of tubular plexiglass walls. While delineating the adjacent spaces, the views offered by the landscape spine creates spatial and visual depth to alleviate any sense of claustrophobia. Storage solutions and door openings accentuated by stainless steel accents puncture through along this spine where necessary.
The buildability and transportability of the curved transparent wall partition was an important consideration. Instead of a 3-metre tall customized curved glass to achieve the desired impact, we found the alternative of the plexi-glass tubes. At only 0.5% the weight of glass, each 3-metre tall tube is significantly lighter and easier to transport. Additionally, breaking down a curved wall by using modular plexi-glass tubes made it faster to procure since fabricating with ready materials, and faster to build.
