Upgrade Fitness
Upgrade Fitness is Guernsey’s new high-end gym facility designed by DRP Architecture and constructed by Ravenscroft Construction. As a profound step forward for the fitness brand, the new site is an embodiment of efficient and modern design, offering the island the perfect spot for a workout.
On this project DRP Architecture and Ravenscroft Construction understood that the new Upgrade Fitness site needed to not only provide the brand with a dedicated facility worthy of standing on its own, but also cement it as the island’s number one gym destination.
Works began in early 2022, but before the Ravenscroft team could start on bringing DRP’s design to life, their first objective was to manage the pre-existing structure onsite. They dealt with asbestos, oversaw the building’s demolition, then set about laying the new facility’s foundations. Ravenscroft set out Mansfield concrete pads, installed a steel frame, provided cladding, then began constructing the concrete mezzanine and lower floors. The final stage was the fit-out, which the team carried out in accordance with the client’s requirements.
Progress on the project was not without its challenges. Stewart Giles, Ravenscroft Contracts Manager, pointed to ground conditions as something the team had to contend with: “When you’re building on a site where there was an existing building, you never know quite what you’re going to find. Working alongside the engineers, CBL, we came up with good solutions which kept us on track.
From the project’s original conception, the objective was to produce a top class fitness facility for the island and allow Upgrade Fitness to come into its own. This saw DRP design the highest grade facility possible within the client’s budget and incorporate a design that was efficient within the site’s available space. Key to achieving this latter goal was the use of the interior mezzanine. Two floors function to double the amount of room for equipment, as well as provide depth to the interior.
From the outside, a minimalist and modern aesthetic reigns, and this continues inside. Upgrade Fitness lacks the clutter or chaos that might be associated with a gym, and instead features clear, bold lines and open floor spaces. There’s room to exercise in comfort, and the unanimous metallic palette throughout works perfectly to form a cocoon around those working out, protecting them from distraction.
Stewart particularly sees the finishes used throughout the project to be one of its highlights: “When you look at the finishes they’re fairly simple, but they’ve been thought about. They have a high impact as far as the visuals are concerned, and that came mainly from the Upgrade Fitness owner and our working with DRP as well.”
Supply chains, particularly those providing cladding, were put under external strain throughout the project, however Ravenscroft’s team worked diligently to complete Upgrade Fitness in May of 2023. Since the facility’s official launch day in June, Upgrade Fitness’s uptake has been exceptional, with positive responses from all who now use the new facility.
Stewart told PREMIER CONSTRUCTION CHANNELS ISLANDS that it was amazing “to have a job that turned out so good in its looks and impact, as well as having a client that’s worked so well with us and is happy with the result.” On behalf of Ravenscroft, he added, “it’s been an exceptional job for us.”
The post Upgrade Fitness Guernsey appeared first on Premier Construction News.
