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SPX designed a performance-driven fitness and wellness space for URBY Washington, DC that aligns with the brand’s community-focused, lifestyle-oriented identity. The goal was to move beyond the traditional multifamily gym model and create a space that supports real training while integrating seamlessly into the building’s social fabric. The result is a highly efficient, flexible environment centered around strength and functional training, designed to maximize usability, encourage interaction, and drive consistent resident engagement.
SPX designed a performance-driven fitness and wellness space for URBY Washington, DC that aligns with the brand’s community-focused, lifestyle-oriented identity. The goal was to move beyond the traditional multifamily gym model and create a space that supports real training while integrating seamlessly into the building’s social fabric. The result is a highly efficient, flexible environment centered around strength and functional training, designed to maximize usability, encourage interaction, and drive consistent resident engagement.
URBY Washington, DC
Objective
Design a high-performing, design-forward fitness amenity that aligns with URBY’s brand: community-driven, lifestyle-centric, and slightly unconventional, while delivering real training utility for residents.
The Problem
Most multifamily gyms fall into the same trap: over-indexed on cardio, under-delivering on strength, and trying to be everything to everyone, which usually means it’s not great for anyone.
URBY needed something different. A space that could handle real training, support multiple user types, and still feel like an extension of their social, hospitality-driven environment, not a sterile afterthought tucked in the corner of the building.
The Process
We approached the space through a performance-first lens, then layered in brand and community.
Built zoning around actual usage patterns: strength, functional, recovery, and open movement
Prioritized versatility over excess, fewer pieces, better pieces, more usable space
Integrated equipment that supports both guided and self-directed training
Balanced durability with aesthetics to match URBY’s design language
Designed for flow, visibility, and social energy, not just equipment density
The Solution
A gym that feels intentional, not overbuilt.
Strong emphasis on functional training and free weights over redundant cardio
Open, flexible zones that support group-style workouts without a dedicated studio
Equipment mix that serves beginners and experienced users without intimidation
A layout that encourages movement, interaction, and repeat use
The result is a fitness space that actually gets used and becomes part of the daily rhythm of the building.