2. 3
ENVIRONMENTS
CREATE POWERFUL FITNESS
What makes truly successful clubs truly successful? Wildly popular instructors? Sparkling
restrooms? A kick-ass timetable? Sure, those things are a big part of that. But there’s
something else at work there too. Something that elevates the entire experience to the As Phillip Mills, club owner and originator of the group fitness phenomenon says:
next level. Their environment. ‘people regularly rate appearance and atmosphere among the most critical factors
determining their decision when choosing a club, and yet as an industry we have a
dangerous tendency to prioritize equipment over environment. If we want our industry to
stay relevant we must give them something worth leaving home for.’
3. 5
MEMBERS TO ACHIEVE MORE
“I’ve unearthed some previously unknown inner physical and mental
strength and am able to do things I never dreamed I could do at 44
years old. I feel like I can do anything.” Linda, LES MILLS™ participant.
4. 7
INSPIRE
AMONG YOUR MEMBERS
“I feel great just walking in here. It’s like the building is feeding me energy…
some days, I don’t want to go home.” Brian, LES MILLS™ participant.
5. 9
ENGINEER A HIGH-PERFORMING
Club environments have huge yet subtle effects on the people in them. The good ones
uplift, inspire and motivate. The average ones inspire indifference. And the bad ones
simply reinforce member dissatisfaction. What sort of impact do you want your club
to have?
6. 11
STIMULATING. POWERFUL.
INVITING
Get it right and you’ve got a space that people actively want to inhabit,
that enhances their entire workout experience – and rewards them for
walking through the door in the first place.
• High-impact sails, decals and posters passively add an exciting, experiential dimension to workouts
• Create a clear, point of difference against the club down the road
• Quickly, easily achieve huge results within your existing space
• Instantly create an aspirational, inviting club ‘personality’ for new ventures – or dramatically reinvigorate existing club spaces
7. FABIANO DESIGNS 13
FABIANO DESIGNS
There are five key elements that combine to create a complete club experience:
THE MAKING OF AN 1 AWAKEN – THE ENTRY EXPERIENCE.
The arrival should awaken the senses. Lighting, colors, space proportions, smell
and sound are critical aspects of the initial entry experience. Don’t just sell to
prospective members,seduce them to join.
CLUB ENVIRONMENT
When designing a club, we can choose to simply provide a place to work out. Or we
can create a place that is firmly part of our members’ lives: beautiful, inspiring and
worthy of their loyalty. It isn’t just about arranging rooms and placing the equipment,
it’s about creating the experience – perhaps the most powerful way of differentiating
your club from the others in your area.
2 INSPIRE – CREATE A POWERFUL JOURNEY.
If your members aren’t feeling part of the activities, are not engaged by your
By Rudy Fabiano programming, don’t feel inspired to move, they won’t be members for long.
AIA registered Architect, Interior Designer and president of Fabiano Designs.
8. FABIANO DESIGNS 15
3 ENERGIZE – CAPITALIZE ON THE CLUB’S ENERGY. 5 RELAX – INSPIRE MEMBERS TO STAY FOR LONGER.
Are there opportunities to relax and reflect in your club? Lounge areas strategically
Excite members during their workouts. The care of the design given to lobbies should extend
to the workout floor and certainly the group exercise studios. Lighting and colors are even placed through the clubs add an important balance to the energy and hard work.
more important here. Studios should be treated as special, and reflect the energy and What about a room with a view?
experiences they provide. Aim to create yoga temples, dance halls, and movement studios.
Members that play together, stay together.
4 REJUVENATE – REWARD AND REJUVENATE
MEMBERS POST-WORK-OUT.
In our research on how architecture can affect retention levels, we found that member interaction is considered
highly important when members reconsider their membership. Quite simply, when they make friends in your club,
they have a stronger tendency to stay, rather than breaking those bonds.
The overall post workout rituals, the locker rooms, the showers, the steam rooms, Designing with this in mind, you can use areas that can promote and accommodate these interactions that make
the shave, are important elements of the workout and promote joy and feeling good.
people feel at home – and keen to spend time in your club.
This experience, when positive, can be a powerful retention tool.
9. CLUB DECOR SYSTEMS 17
HOW
POWERFUL
DO YOU WANT YOUR
CLUB EXPERIENCE TO BE?
Bold, challenging and dynamic? Colourful and fun?
Somewhere in between? The beauty of the Les Mills club décor system is
that you can engineer an in-club experience that fits your club’s unique look
and feel, workout intensities, interior layout and membership profile.
Choose elements from one of the two décor systems in the following pages
– and make the décor as powerful or subtle as you choose.
10. HEROES DECOR SYSTEM 19
BE
BOLD,
DYNAMIC
AND ASPIRATIONAL
The ‘Heroes’ décor system features bold, dynamic
and highly aspirational imagery – combined with
motivational headlines.
Each element is designed to create huge impact and help
motivate your members to do more, achieve more – and
spend longer inside your club.
11. HEROES DECOR SYSTEM 21
EXTERIORS
The entry experience: what you do outside your club is just as important as what you do inside.
Maybe even more so. Because this is where your members’ (and potential members’) experience
of your club begins.
Think of this exterior signage as a clear statement of what’s in store for people entering your club,
what your club stands for – and how it differs from the club across the street.
12. HEROES DECOR SYSTEM 23
RECEPTION
Energise and inspire: here’s where members sense your club’s energy for the first time –
and their hearts start pumping in anticipation. Dynamic, colourful and motivational imagery
located at this point heightens their senses and drives them forward.
ENTRANCE
The journey begins: high impact decor
gets members hyped before their workout.
And excites potential members about the
possiblities of what lies beyond the front door.
13. HEROES DECOR SYSTEM 25
RPM STUDIOS
Drive them to their endorphin high: the music’s pumping,
the instructor’s getting everyone in the zone – and there’s
kick-ass imagery on the walls to help keep them there.
GROUP FITNESS STUDIOS
Seal the deal: your members’ workout experience is in full swing, so keep them
motivated and remind them just how good a workout they’re getting with large-scale
décor elements that provides the ultimate in inspirational backdrops.
14. HEROES DECOR SYSTEM 27
WEIGHTS
Keep those energy levels up: there mightn’t be instructors or dynamic
movement to inspire them to give it all they’ve got, but there’s sure as hell
some heavy duty motivation pouring off the walls.
CARDIO Keep em’ pumping: their muscles might be screaming - but there’s bold and
motivating imagery all around them, inspiring them to give it all they’ve got.
15. HEROES DECOR SYSTEM 29
LOCKER ROOM
Turn it up – then cool it down: why shouldn’t the locker rooms be as
motivating and inspiring as the rest of your club? Get members in the zone
before they work out – and remind them just how good it was right after.
CHOOSE BOLD,
DYNAMIC AND CHALLENGING
16. GRAPHIC OVERVIEW 31
TYPICAL DISPLAY OPTIONS DÉCOR FORMATS
Size graphics to suit site. Use horizontal, vertical, square
or rectangular formats.
Exterior and interior best suited to print on PVC in frame.
A2 A0 SQUARE VERTICAL HORIZONTAL FLOOR STICKERS
Swap out posters within interior spaces and size
graphics to suit site.
Use horizontal, vertical, square or rectangular formats.
POSTERS
Interior posters should be printed or laminated on
rigid substrate or backlit.
Utilise floor stickers and print on robust
adhesive film applied to the floor surface.
Size graphics to suit site.
Use horizontal or vertical formats.
17. 33
POSTERS WITH HERO IMAGE/HEADLINE/GENERIC LOGO
HEROES
DÉCOR ELEMENTS DECOR HEROES P01 DECOR HEROES P02 DECOR HEROES P03 DECOR HEROES P04
HORIZONTAL WITH HERO IMAGE/TAGLINE/GENERIC LOGO
DECOR HEROES P05 DECOR HEROES P06 DECOR HEROES P07 DECOR HEROES P08
POSTERS WITH HERO IMAGE/HEADLINE/PROGRAM LOGO
DECOR HEROES H01 DECOR HEROES H02
DECOR HEROES H03 DECOR HEROES H04
READY TO TRANSFORM? DECOR HEROES P09 DECOR HEROES P10 DECOR HEROES P11 DECOR HEROES P12
1. Make a note of the code numbers of the items you’d like in your club.
2. Visit lesmills.com/décor (contact your Les Mills agent if don’t already have DECOR HEROES H05 DECOR HEROES H06
a username and password set up.)
3. Select and then download the file to your computer.
4. Discuss your exact requirements (size, specification) with your printer and DECOR HEROES H07 DECOR HEROES H08
re-size the image if necessary, before getting them printed for your space. DECOR HEROES P13 DECOR HEROES P14 DECOR HEROES P15 DECOR HEROES P16
20. BENEFITS DECOR SYSTEM 39
ADD A WHOLE NEW
DIMENSION TO FITNESS. FUN.
The ‘Benefits’ décor system gives clubs a slightly softer
alternative to the bolder, more dynamic ‘Heroes’ system
you’ve just seen.
Here, the focus is on combining fitness with fun, connecting with
fellow members and simply enjoying the overall fitness experience.
Available in male or female-focused versions, each item is
designed to heighten the in-club experience and encourage your
members to do more, achieve more – and spend longer inside
your club.
21. BENEFITS DECOR SYSTEM 41
EXTERIORS
The entry experience: once again, what you do outside your club is just as important
as what you do inside. Because this is where your members’ (and potential members’)
experience of your club first begins.
Captivating exterior signage delivers an enticing snapshot of what your club has to offer.
Better yet, it creates a clear point of difference from your competitor across the street.
22. BENEFITS DECOR SYSTEM 43
RECEPTION
Energise and inspire: here’s where members really start
to experience your club’s energy. So inspire and reassure
them - and then drive them deeper inside your club with
images and messages like these.
ENTRANCE
The journey begins: your member (or potential member) has taken their first steps inside your club.
So draw them further inside with inviting and inspiring imagery.
23. BENEFITS DECOR SYSTEM 45
RPM STUDIO
Drive them to their endorphin high: imagine the music’s pumping, the instructor’s taking the entire class on the
calorie-destroying ride of their lives… now imagine this imagery not just completing but enhancing this experience.
GROUP FITNESS STUDIO
Seal the deal: your members’ workout is in full swing. Their focus will be on your instructor, but the crucial class start and end points are
where you can not only psych them up for their workout, but also subtly reinforce the fun, social aspects of what they’re experiencing.
24. BENEFITS DECOR SYSTEM 47
WEIGHTS
Keep those energy levels up: there mightn’t be
instructors in this particular space. But who needs them
when there’s motivation and inspiration like this?
CARDIO
The deeper you dig, the higher the high: surrounded by bold and motivating imagery,
inspires them to give it all they’ve got.
25. BENEFITS DECOR SYSTEM 49
CHOOSE FUN, EXCITING
AND MOTIVATIONAL
LOCKER ROOM
Turn it up – then cool it down: with images like this, even the most functional locker room can
become a key part of the workout experience – and not just the dead zone at either end of it
26. BENEFITS DECOR SYSTEM 51
POSTERS WITH FEMALE HERO IMAGE/HEADLINE/PROGRAM LOGO
BENEFITS
DÉCOR ELEMENTS DECOR BENEFITS P09 DECOR BENEFITS P10 DECOR BENEFITS P11 DECOR BENEFITS P12
POSTER WITH FEMALE HERO IMAGE/TAGLINE/GENERIC LOGO
DECOR BENEFITS P13 DECOR BENEFITS P14 DECOR BENEFITS P15 DECOR BENEFITS P16
POSTERS WITH MALE HERO IMAGE/HEADLINE/PROGRAM LOGO
DECOR BENEFITS P01 DECOR BENEFITS P02 DECOR BENEFITS P03 DECOR BENEFITS P04
READY TO TRANSFORM?
1. Make a note of the code numbers of the items you’d like in your club. DECOR BENEFITS P17 DECOR BENEFITS P18 DECOR BENEFITS P19 DECOR BENEFITS P20
DECOR BENEFITS P05 DECOR BENEFITS P06 DECOR BENEFITS P07 DECOR BENEFITS P08
2. Visit lesmills.com/décor (contact your Les Mills agent if don’t already have
a username and password set up.)
3. Select and then download the file to your computer.
4. Discuss your exact requirements (size, specification) with your printer and
re-size the image if necessary, before getting them printed for your space. DECOR BENEFITS P21 DECOR BENEFITS P22 DECOR BENEFITS P23 DECOR BENEFITS P24
29. 57
PHILLIP MILLS - LES MILLS
Phillip is the driving force behind TRANSFORM and the founder of Les Mills – a company that aims to create life-
changing fitness experiences every time, everywhere. Phillip is a passionate advocate of the power of great design in
health and fitness clubs to transform their spaces into truly motivating destinations.
JON HARRISON - HARRISON & HARRISON
Jon Harrison is director of multi-discipline design consultancy Harrison + Harrison, based in Auckland, New Zealand.
The firm specializes in commercial interior design and special event design. The development of the décor elements
in the Heroes and Benefits décor systems was a collaborative effort between Jon Harrison (Harrison + Harrison) and
Auckland based designer Simon Coley. The computer generated renders were produced by Auckland based company,
One to One Hundred.
RUDY FABIANO - FABIANO DESIGNS
Rudy Fabiano, a registered Architect and Interior Designer, is president of Fabiano Designs, one of the USA’s leading
architects for fitness, wellness centers, sports and recreational clubs, as well as Spa work. They have produced over
400 projects nationally in the last 20 years. Rudy can be reached at Rudy@fabianodesigns.com
Rudy Fabiano contributed the Fabiano section of this book, on the choreographing a magical member experience.
30. Les Mills is the world’s largest provider of group exercise-to-music programs in health clubs
in over 75 countries around the world. Every week, over six million people participate in
LES MILLS™ programs, led by a tribe of over 70,000 instructors in more 13,000 clubs.
To find out more about the Les Mills global fitness phenomenon, visit www.lesmills.com