A revamped fitness haven in Auckland CBD
Case study: Les Mills Auckland City
Les Mills is a renowned fitness brand founded on the vision of Olympic athlete Les Mills Senior. The company has achieved global recognition while continuing to be proudly New Zealand-based and operated. In 1968, Les Mills opened its first club in Auckland City on Victoria Street, and since then, it has been committed to its mission of 'making humans fit for life.' Today, Les Mills has expanded to 12 clubs across the country.
Jacobsen have worked nationwide as trusted advisors to Les Mills for decades, assisting with technical specifications and providing fit-for-purpose products for their flooring needs.
Les Mills Auckland City, the flagship club which is still located at 186 Victoria Street, has recently been revamped and transformed into a haven for fitness fans. The club features a wide range of cardio and weights equipment, a busy group fitness timetable, and a large team of personal trainers.
Given the age of the building, intensive technical expertise was required to make the project a success. The condition of the concrete floor slab was an unforeseen challenge, with layer of wood, aspalt, concrete, and other materials needing to be removed, and a high moisture content in the floor. This meant that comprehensive preparation work was needed before the floors could be laid to avoid damaging the costly new flooring. Working with the Les Mills project manager, Architects Monk Mackenzie and The Flooring Centre, Jacobsen's technical director advised on the most effective methods of preparing the floor surface for successful installation.
The new gym floor was designed with a sleek modern aesthetic and different workout zones, including a dedicated Functional Zone equipped with functional fitness equipment such as ski ergs, kettlebells, TRX, and more.
The team’s challenge was to find a product that has sufficient padding for a range of functions, particularly as a soft cushioning in the heavy-weight areas and stretch zones. After evaluating several options, Les Mills selected Jacobsen's Regupol 8mm Classic, which could be used on various gym floor sections with its extra heavy-duty commercial rating and a contemporary design that aligns with the aesthetic of the space.
Regupol Everroll Classic rubber is an environmentally friendly flooring option that utilises recycled car tyres with fine colour chips of post-consumer EPDM rubber. This flooring is extremely durable, naturally slip-resistant, long-lasting, and quiet underfoot, making it the ideal flooring solution for fitness clubs.
Photo credit: Images courtesy of Les Mills
Products used in this project
