Faced with a very tight budget and a small space, Spanish architect Gabriel Gomera decided to let light play centre stage at the R3 fitness centre in Manresa, Spain.

The 230sq m active therapy centre, which is aimed at athletes, is located on the ground floor of a residential building in the town and features a number of different activity and training rooms as well as a reception and entrance area plus changing facilities.

In order to get away from the traditional dark gym, Gomera used large windows and mirrors to open up the small space. The bright yellow flooring contrasts with the white walls and natural woods, and large round ‘saucers’ house the lighting, providing indirect illumination.

“The budget was really low, so we decided to keep the space naked, just adding the most basic elements to make it work,” Gomera told CLADmag. “We played with the light, colour and air, which we used as our main materials.

“I’ve always felt that working out in a closed room was a kind of contradiction. In this centre my aim was to make users feel the freedom of the outdoors. Using air and light we managed to transform the limits of the space.

“I’m very proud of the custom lighting result. We call the ceiling lamps ‘platillos,’ which means small dish in Spanish. We found that this simple round element could transform the atmosphere of the space, while also creating a personal identity for the gym.”