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    Dubrovska Studio uses “leftovers” in Kyiv to furnish local dance studio

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    Local architecture practice Dubrovska Studio has created a fitness studio lined with curtains and outfitted with custom furniture made from materials sourced from around Kyiv in the face of wartime shortages.

    Located in Kyiv, Stan will host barre and yoga classes for up to 15 people in its main space and includes a reception area and locker area across 1,290 square feet (120 square metres).
    Dubrovska Studio has created a barre and yoga studio in Kyiv”In our situation, when we initiated the project, there was virtually nothing available. We literally pieced the project together from leftovers we found around Kyiv,”  said Dubrovska Studio founder Natalie Dubrovska. 
    Visitors first walk into a curtain-lined reception and welcome area, which contains a custom, semi-circle sofa, reception desk and “little tables” made of stone.
    The studio is lined with curtains to soften the spaceThe curtains lining the space follow a curved track at the corners in order to soften the space and “smooth” out the interior.

    Many furniture pieces were custom-made from locally sourced or reused materials, which the studio says was a “primary concept” for the studio’s design – in part due to difficulties faced when ordering abroad during the ongoing Ukraine war.
    Furniture was made from locally sourced or reused materialsThe tables were crafted from scraps found at a warehouse, while the sofa was upholstered in a neutral, multicoloured fabric from the 1970s.
    “The quest for the right fabric turned into a humorous journey, with many Gobelins featuring unappealing cat face illusions,” said Dubrovska. “Almost giving up, we lucked out, discovering a fabric from the 1970s that closely mirrored our initial design.”
    The curtains follow a curved trackA reception desk sits to one corner, and was made from cast concrete. Rough edges line the top to contrast with the softness of the surrounding curtains, while its smooth base runs into the concrete floor.
    A standing mirror sits across from the desk, mounted into a stone to create “magic and special charm” and next to it, a sink and countertop are concealed behind a curtain.
    White drapes and mirrors line the studioThe same white drapes cover large windows along the studio, which sits in front of the welcome area. Ballet barres and mirrors also line the space.
    A locker and changing room sits to the other side of the welcome area, with wooden storage created by Dubrovska Studio “in the absence of a minimalistic and soft solution” in contrast to standard metal lockers. 

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    A bench made of the same light-coloured wood sits in the centre of the space, while a line of showers was clad in small white mosaic tiles as a nod to public restrooms.
    According to the studio, there were frequent electricity black outs during construction, but despite the challenges, Stan is a “sanctuary”.
    Wooden lockers were created as a “soft solution” for storage”Stan encapsulates the spirit of feminine strength, elegance, and individuality, inviting to embark on a transformative journey within its carefully curated space,” said the studio. “It is not just a studio; it is a sanctuary for self-expression and holistic well-being.”
    Stan studio was founded by professional dancer Mariia Dreihaupt. The word “stan” is the Latin translation of the Ukrainian word “ctah”, meaning “physical posture”. 
    Small, white mosaic tiles line a shower area as a nod to public restroomsDubrovska Studio is based in Kyiv and was founded in 2018 by designer Natalie Dubrovska. It focuses on bringing “calmness, harmony and self-connection” to projects. 
    Another project recently completed in Ukraine includes a holiday cabin in the Carpathian mountains. Recently architecture and design studios shared how they are coping at the two-year mark of Russia’s invasion.
    The photography is by Yevhenii Avramenko.
    Project credits:
    Team:  Natalie Dubrovska, Katerina Bandura, Daria Shmyrko

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      Gym Town in Hong Kong was “inspired by Elon Musk’s vision of colonising Mars”

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      In Hong Kong’s fast-paced Central District, local practice MR Studio has modelled this fitness studio on a futuristic Martian dwelling to offer members an escape from their busy lives.

      Gym Town’s entryway and reception are finished entirely in an an earthy shade of orange, chosen to reflect the colours of Mars, while moody black workout areas were designed to allow visitors to focus on their individual health goals.
      Gym Town is entered via a dramatic escalator”We wanted to create a unique and immersive experience for gym-goers,” MR Studio founder Myron Kwan told Dezeen. “The concept of Mars was chosen to represent escapism and a sense of adventure.”
      “Inspired by Elon Musk’s vision of colonising Mars, we wanted to create a space that felt futuristic and cutting-edge.”
      The gym’s reception doubles as a loungeThe studio created a bespoke sculptural lighting piece that can be seen from the street to create a sense of intrigue about the gym.

      From the entrance, members are taken up to the lobby by an escalator. In a bid to make this ascent feel like an event, MR Studio turned the space into a tunnel-like “portal” that provides a sense of voyage.
      Bespoke lights were modelled on satellite dishesAround the escalator, the walls undulate to create a series of vertical ridges, designed to add depth and visual interest while suggesting walls that have buckled under the heat of the red planet.
      “By using the tunnel-like form, we wanted to create a visually striking feature that would set the tone for the entire space,” Kwan said.
      “The tunnel creates a sense of anticipation and excitement as guests enter,” he added. “The design itself aims to transport visitors to another world.
      Decorative rocks are fixed to the ceilingThe escalator delivers members into a large reception area, arranged as a lounge with various seating areas.
      One of the challenges of the project was the absence of natural light, which MR Studio addressed with a feature ceiling light.
      Composed of concentric circles with an illuminated core, it suggests both a natural skylight and the crater-studded terrain of Mars.

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      Curves and circles feature heavily throughout Gym Town, from wavy walls and rounded furniture to lights inspired by the form of a satellite dish.
      “Custom-made table lamps adorned with sleek metal finishes and cracked glass details capture the silhouette of high-gain antennas used in space exploration,” the studio explained.
      The room is centred on a semi-circular brass-wrapped reception desk, which doubles as a bar during events or after-hours gatherings.
      Rooms get progressively darkerThe walls here feature the same dusty red-orange finish as the entrance tunnel, while decorative rocks are fixed to the ceiling.
      “Envisioned as a modern Martian house, the space is painted in a textured monochromatic palette of tangerine, referencing the iconic red planet’s signature colour and rough terrain,” said Kwan.
      “It adds vibrancy and warmth to the space, creating a visually intriguing element that complements the overall design theme.”
      The workout areas are finished in muted black and grey tonesProgressing into the changing rooms, workout areas and studios, the colour palette shiftsto more sober greys and blacks.
      “To encourage members to fully devote to their fitness routines, the workout area is grounded in an organic and unpretentious style,” the studio said.
      Orange accents delineate different areasGym Town has been shortlisted in the health and wellbeing interior category at this year’s Dezeen Awards.
      Also in the running is the dusty-pink welfare centre of a boys’ school in Melbourne and a pediatric clinic in Seattle with “no blank walls”.
      The photography is by Steven Ko.

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      Black dominates moody ELMNT spinning studio in Montreal

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      Cycling shoes are tucked into all-black shelving in this boutique spinning studio in Montreal, Canada, designed by locally based Ivy Studio.Ivy Studio chose the material palette for the indoor cycling facility to reflect the monochrome branding of ELMNT, a boutique gym providing spaces for yoga, spin, barre and high intensity interval training (HIIT).

      Above image: Ivy Studio chose the palette to complement ELMNT’s brand. Top image: the spinning room
      Black runs heavily throughout the 1500-square-foot (139-square-metre) studio but is intended to provide a different atmosphere between the calming lobby area, with lockers and changing areas, and a spin room for “excitement and energy”.
      “Although both areas are united by the brand’s all-black colour palette, they each suggest opposing ambiances,” said Ivy Studio.

      Existing concrete beams are teamed with stained-black wood

      ELMNT’s space, which occupies the ground floor of a residential building in the city’s Griffintown neighbourhood, features exposed concrete columns and concrete floors in the lobby.
      This is teamed with built-in furniture made from black stained oak and reflective laminate.

      A curved black wall wraps around gender-neutral bathrooms
      Among these is a black wooden bench leading from the entrance door along a glazed wall and then around an existing column. A black plant pot filled with greenery is tucked into a nook on the other side of the column.

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      Facing the bench is a curved black wall that wraps around the studio’s gender-neutral changing rooms, including four showers covered in black tiles.

      Cycling shoes are stored in black shelves
      Before entering the studio, class attendees pick up their allotted spin-bike shoes – specially designed to click into the bike pedals – from black shelving. They can also store belongings in black lockers and fill up their water bottles from a cylindrical black fountain.
      The spinning room is intended to provide a more electric atmosphere.

      Red LEDs illuminate the spinning room
      “A series of color-changing LED lights span across the ceiling from one end to the other,” said Ivy Studio. “The walls are surfaced in acrylic mirrors that distort the reflections of their subjects.”
      Ivy Studio is led by architects Gabrielle Rousseau and Philip Staszeksi in Montreal.
      The firm has completed a number of interior projects in the city such as a dry cleaners that is modelled on a Parisian apartment, a grungy, tropical restaurant and a stark white boutique.
      Photography is by Alex Lesage.
      Project credits:
      Project team: Kyle A Goforth, David Kirouac, Guilaume B Riel, Gabrielle Roussea and Philip Staszeweski

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