Devotion to Motion
Motion Fitness and Racquet Club
New Berlin, Wis.
The original notion for the Motion Fitness and Racquet Club was simple. "The three main owners had a vision," says General Manager Mike Kuglitsch, referring to Dan Eckerman, Joe Dunne and Roger Dibble, whom he calls the Three Wise Men. "They had a vision to make not only the biggest but the best health club in the state. And they've done it."
Built for both serious athletes and families, with an emphasis on children's programming, Motion probably is the biggest health club in American's Dairyland. "But it's not just a big box—it's a large, open, contemporary design," Kuglitsch says. "There's something for everybody." The glass walls clearly allow a peak at the activities inside, adding to the building's inviting nature. "That's one of the reasons we're at 5,000 members so quickly: the appealing design," Kuglitsch says. "But what's keeping them is the customer service." He likes to use the term the "Three Cs:" consistency, customer service and cleanliness. "Those are the things we're hitting home," Kuglitsch says. "When you put a great design with state-of-the-art equipment and programming, then the Three Cs, it's a formula for success." There's no disputing, though, that the interesting architecture pulls people in. "The club sells itself," Kuglitsch says. "The design gets them in the door. Then it's the job of everyone in this facility to keep customers happy." The central hub of the facility is the reception desk and open stairway that direct users throughout the airy facility. "It's not only beautiful, it's very efficient from a membership viewpoint," Kuglitsch says, noting the building's wide entryways, wide stairways and clear views into other spaces. Patrons can see almost all of the facility wherever they stand. "It's not like a mouse going through a maze looking for cheese," he says. There are no small rooms or long, narrow hallways. The architect's goal was to simply create a warm, energetic and open environment. The design team accomplished this by exposing the interior to large amounts of natural light, using furnishings with warm tones, and choosing finishes with stimulating patterns and vibrant colors. The exterior consists of precast and architectural metal panels with a two-story glass curtain wall allowing the sun to be the primary light source for the facility. High-quality materials like a specialty running track and aerobics wood flooring were specifically used to prevent athletic injuries, while providing the owner with value in the long run. Likewise, durable carpet, easy-maintenance wall coverings and moisture-resistant fabrics use color and patterns to disguise wear as well as fit into the high-energy theme of the building. "You get awed by the design, but you stay for the atmosphere and ambience and the camaraderie between the staff and members," Kuglitsch says. The design is a piece of the whole Motion experience. "We're the biggest, but that's not our priority; we want to be the best," he says. "But being both is pretty nice."
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