HAPPY FIT VICENZA
Vicenza, Italy
2012 - 2013
At the Borgo Berga complex in Vicenza, a ground-floor space that had been overlooked by conventional commercial logic has been transformed into a fitness space commanding views of the city skyline.
Located just south of Vicenza, Borgo Berga is a newly developed mixed-use commercial complex in the city. The complex comprises a variety of uses, including retail, offices and public services, with each functional area operating independently.
The first floor features a large, open-plan commercial space of approximately 1,355 square meters, with generous heights and abundant natural light; however, within the complex’s commercial framework, it is not an ideal retail location.
Panoramic view from the platform
Arial view of the Borgo Berga
Studio LUMI recognised the unique value of this location. The first floor elevates the user’s gaze above the surrounding cityscape, offering a direct, panoramic view of Vicenza’s historic centre from within: the traditional Venetian roofs, the silhouette of the Basilica Palladiana and the bell tower, and the distant contours of the Alpine foothills. For a fitness operator requiring extensive open spaces and visual stimulation, this ‘neglected’ floor is, in fact, the ideal location.
The open-plan steel structure, with its wide spans, accommodates the gym’s need for flexible layout. Full-height glass curtain walls provide natural light throughout the day whilst bringing the cityscape into the exercise space. A floor forgotten by the retail market has become a strategic asset for a fitness operator.
Translating a fitness operator’s standardised functional requirements into a practical scope of works requires coordination amongst multiple parties within a complex multi-tenant building.
At the technical level, fitness operations impose mechanical and electrical demands that far exceed those of a standard commercial lease: 95 kW of independent electrical supply (potenza massima), a fully floating magnetic floor system (pavimento galleggiante with a steel-magnetic substrate), independent HVAC and fresh-air ventilation systems (impianto di riscaldamento/raffrescamento and impianto di ricambio dell'aria), and sufficient water supply and drainage capacity to support a peak concurrent occupancy of 150 persons. Each of these functional requirements had to be resolved within the building's existing structural and fire safety framework.
On the regulatory side, the project required the parallel coordination of approvals from the fire service (Vigili del Fuoco), the local health authority (ASL), and the municipal planning administration (Comune di Vicenza). The facility was classified under Activity 65.1.B of DPR 151/2011, a gymnasium with concurrent occupancy between 100 and 200 persons and a floor area exceeding 200 square metres, subject to the full range of Italian fire safety requirements for medium-risk activities (rischio medio).
Studio LUMI acted as a bridge between the property owner and the fitness operator, managing the entire process from site selection and lease negotiations to construction and handover.
At the same time, Borgo Berga, as a new development in Vicenza, faced resistance from the local community. The gym’s lease included parking rights, allowing members to park for two hours free of charge. This arrangement went beyond mere lease terms: it transformed ‘coming to the gym’ into a daily opportunity for the citizens of Vicenza to begin using and gradually accepting this new complex.
Project details
TIME
2012-2013
TYPE
Fitness / Commercial Space
AREA
1,355 m2
CLIENT
Private
DESIGN
Fitness Operator
STUDIO CONTRIBUTION
Site selection / Coordination / Contract negotiation / Project delivery
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