A Former Warehouse Transformed into a Wellness Space

In Metaxourgeio, Athens, Hekate Fitness Club by Studio Maneo transforms a former warehouse into a bright and calm wellness space. The project is guided by the architectural idea of disconnecting from the intensity of the city, creating an interior where exercise, safety and sensory decompression are brought together.

Although the owner comes from the world of sports, the ambition was not to create a conventional gym. The design instead seeks to shape a space that first conveys a sense of personal safety and respect for each visitor’s identity, while offering a moment of retreat from the dense rhythm and visual noise of the city center.

A Space of Disconnection from the City

The project approaches wellness as a broader physical and mental experience. The goal was for visitors to feel closer to nature, but also to their own physical and spiritual condition. In this sense, the interior is conceived less as a place of performance and more as a protective environment for movement, concentration and recovery.

This atmosphere is developed through natural materials, clean geometries and light as a primary design tool. Wood cladding, terracotta tones and earthy shades create a calm setting, where the balance between light and shadow becomes part of the spatial experience.

 

 

Natural Materials and Soft Opacity

The façade is treated with milky glass, establishing a balance between light diffusion and soft opacity. This gesture protects the interior from direct visual exposure while allowing light to enter gently, forming a secure and atmospheric environment for exercise.

Inside, the 140 sq.m. space is organized across two levels. The ground floor hosts the reception and workout areas, while the upper level contains support functions, including changing rooms and washrooms. The plan is structured through the idea of a “box within a box,” clearly defining uses without fragmenting the overall atmosphere.

The “Box Within a Box” and the Martial Arts Area

The martial arts area is defined by wooden wall panels, distinguishing it from the rest of the program and reinforcing the perception of an inner volume nested within the larger space. This architectural strategy gives the project clarity and depth, while preserving a sense of continuity between the different functions.

The reception is also conceived as a wooden box-like structure. Its clostra surface visually connects it with the rear martial arts area, allowing the idea of nested spaces to be repeated across the interior through material and rhythm.

 

 

Linear Skylights and the Stair as a Light Filter

Two key elements define the lighting qualities of the project: the linear skylights and the central staircase leading to the secondary level. The skylights allow natural light to enter softly throughout the day, gradually transforming the atmosphere of the interior as time passes.

The staircase is framed by a tall freestanding wall, which acts as a spatial filter between the two main uses. A vertical slit in the middle of the wall is fitted with clostra panels, creating shifting effects of light and shadow, opacity and transparency.

Indoor Planting as a Transitional Gesture

As visitors move through the space, they encounter indoor plants placed within built-in planting beds. This gesture introduces nature into the interior not as decoration, but as a transitional filter.

The planting supports decompression both upon entering from the intensity of the city and when leaving after physical exercise. Through this sequence, Hekate Fitness Club shapes wellness as an experience that begins before training and continues after it, connecting body, light, material and atmosphere.