Make It Real Gym

This project is a specific design made for James Devlin's Make It Real challenge. As such, this Instructables is less of a how-to guide and more of an explanation of the project I created. I will not be teaching you how to use AutoCAD I will simply be showing you the project I made and explaining the aspects of a gym that I feel are most important.

The first thing I did for my project was to draft my ideas on paper and on a chalk board. I was tempted to start designing directly in CAD software but I decided that taking the time to draw out my ideas would help me execute my vision and avoid errors. I am very grateful I decided to draft things out first because there were some immediate problems with my first ideas that may have resulted in hours of wasted modeling time.

For this project I went through many ideas in my head and on paper. I finally drew out a design I liked on my chalkboard but after designing it in AutoCAD I found some issues. I brainstormed some more to fix the problems and finally drew out a second version which is the basis of the final version of my gym.

The next portion of my project was converting my ideas that I had sketched out into a 3D design. Before I show the 3D design for my project I though I should give a little background about my work. First, I decided to use AutoCAD 2021 for my project. In the past I have only ever used SketchUp, but since that program is no longer free I started researching software from Autodesk. I was able to get AutoCAD for free as a student. This is the first project I have ever done in it and although it took some learning, I really enjoyed getting to use this project as an opportunity to learn a valuable new skill.

I ended up making two designs for this project, but since this was the first time I used AutoCAD, the first version was a little rough. I was almost finished with this version when the project deadline was moved back, and so I decided to start completely over. The second version took me a little over a week from start to finish, working a few hours each day.

The next steps will walk you through the different portions of the final gym design, where I will explain my thought process of making this gym.

The first thing I want to talk about is my floor plan, as it is the foundation for the rest of my design. One I began translating my sketches into AutoCAD, I started by sketching out each floor. I then used Photoshop create a reference image that labeled the various floor sections.

The gym has two main floors, the ground floor and the 2nd floor, but it also has a usable rooftop space that can be used depending on the climate of the gym's location.

The 1st floor, aka the ground floor, includes the check-in desk, a nutrition center, the main bathrooms/changing rooms, strength training, and a climbing wall. The climbing wall is labeled on each floor but it can only be accessed from the ground floor.

The 2nd floor includes a yoga/pilates studio that can also be used for bodyweight workouts, dancing, martial arts or as a rec room for small games such as dodgeball. This room would be divided in half by a removable wall so that the space can have two separate classes at the same time, but can be opened for larger classes or games. The 2nd floor also included cardio fitness equipment, like treadmills, bikes, rowers, stairmasters, ellipticals and more. Although not every type of cardio machine is pictured in the final gym, this was just on my behalf to save time. I would also include another bathroom on the 2nd floor as well as a HIT and TRX space.

The 3rd floor is chiefly an outdoor exercise and relaxation space. There is a clear flat area for outdoor studio classes when it is pleasant outside. There is also an outside strength court, which is basically an outside area with different piece of outdoor equipment designed to be used for body weight workouts; this area is inspired by the National Fitness Campaign, more on that later. Lastly the roof would have a green space which is always a benefit for the environment, especially in urban areas, but it is primarily there to add beauty to the rooftop space for the enjoyment of the patrons.

The majority of the bottom floor is reserved for strength training. In my design, I represented this section with bench presses and free weight stations. I also would include specific weight training machines in this section which I plan to add to my design in the future. This section would also include medicine balls, kettlebells, weighted ropes, and other weight training equipment.

Another significant portion of the first floor is the bathroom section. This section includes bathrooms, lockers, changing rooms, and showers. I decided not to assign genders to the section and rather make every section using individual modules. Although this may take up more space, it will more equally accommodate every member of the community and it offers more privacy that many people prefer. There are also a few more individual bathrooms on the second floor. When designing the bathrooms, I paid special attention to ADA standards that way the bathrooms are accessible to everyone. Additionally, I designed toilets that reduce water waste to make the gym more sustainable.

The largest section of the second floor would be used for cardio equipment, including but not limited to: treadmills, ellipticals, rowers, bikes, and stairmasters. I used treadmills in my design to represent this section but only because I have not yet designed the other machines though I plan to add them soon. Another important part of my design to not is that all of the cardio machines are facing windows which are specifically on purpose. Using cardio machines can get boring fast, but having windows in front of them can lift the mood of the person and entertain them while they exercise.

Climbing is a very fun form of strength exercise and I believe that is it is a very underrated part of many gyms. I created a large climbing wall that users can strap into and climb up the entire height of the gym. There is a skylight above this section that illuminates the entire wall and the sun allows the climbers to feel a sense of outdoor climbing.

This section of the second floor is a divided set of rooms for use as a studio. Having a studio space is a must for any large-scale gym because it can be used for so many applications and it will attract an audience of people that may not otherwise go to the gym. The studio can be used to teach classes such as yoga, barre, pilates, or martial arts, which can attract customers to the gym and classes can be very profitable. I would also recommend a removable wall between the two rooms to allow for the creation of a larger room which could be used to run games like dodgeball for kids or adults.

I would also include a similar-sized space on the roof to be used for similar applications, these spaces may be only seasonal but they would still allow for more space for classes or places for gym patrons to stretch and relax.

One feature I included in my gym that most gyms do not have is a nutrition center. I think every gym should provide a way for people to fuel their body after challenging workouts. Experts recommend getting some form of nutrition within 30 minutes of exercise and no later than an hour afterwards. For many people it may be hard to finish their workout, shower, change and drive home fast enough to fuel up soon enough. To remedy this issue, I think a nutrition center should be an essential part of every gym. In my design the nutrition center features different drinks: energy drinks to get people through their workouts, protein shakes for post workout recovery, vegetable juices for nutrients, and of course various types of water and electrolytes for hydration. The nutrition center could also feature health snacks, such as granola bars, fruit, salad mixes or healthy muffins. This small addition to the gym would not only benefit gym goers, but it could also be open to any community members who simply need a drink or snack. The nutrition center would not only make people more compelled to come to the gym, it would also financially benefit the gym too.

Thank you for viewing my project, I hope it has in some way inspired or helped you. Below I have attached the most recent version of my Project as a DWG. I may continue to develop this project so I will update the attached file with any improvement. All of the aspects of this project were 100% created by me in AutoCAD, you are welcome to use any of my included work for personal use.

DWG File Link