Muscles House
Impepinable (Gabriela Barrera + César Plata)
Nestled in a quiet residential area of Alicante, Spain, is a two-in-one building designed to house a personal training center and a family home. The owner is a personal trainer who needed a space to both live in and operate his business. The building was required to be affordable and eye-catching enough to attract customers. The project was realized within a strict budget of 750 euros per square meter, and the two uses were separated into two levels.
The ground floor is dedicated to the public gym, with each room centered around an exercise area that is visible from the outside. Ancillary spaces like changing rooms, offices, and physiotherapy rooms are arranged around the central space, which has a generous ceiling height and opens entirely to the outside through large tilting doors. This allows the warm Mediterranean climate to enter the space and enhances the environment. The exterior of the gym is characterized by corporate yellow railings and floor signage, which help to distinguish it from the neighboring residences.
On the second floor is a comfortable and private family home. The house faces southwest and is designed to avoid views from the street while also protecting from the sun. The rest of the space is organized around a central patio that can be opened up with a retractable canopy, providing ample natural light and air circulation. The concrete blocks used in construction were left exposed to reduce costs and finished in neutral tones. The overall design of the building is compact, efficient, and cost-effective, while still providing a clear distinction between the two uses.
Project: Muscles House / Location: Alicante, Spain / Architect: Impepinable (Gabriela Barrera + César Plata) / Architect in charge: Gabriela Barrera / Collaborators: Manolo Segura / Construction architect: Juan Navarro / Client: Manuel Segura and Alicante Fit Corner / Area: 320m² / Completion: 2021 / Photograph: ©Beeldsmits (courtesy of the architect)
