Physical Therapy Gym

I have first hand knowledge and experience with the needs of a rehabilitative gym. Three years ago, I was utilizing a wheelchair to get around, due to a rare, complex medical challenge. I say challenge, because I decided not to let it define me. I am not defined by my illness or my abilities. I believe everyone should have access to a great rehab center as I do. I was able to work myself out of that wheelchair, but it gave me insight as to what life is like for differently-abled people. I give credit to my PT team that has inspired me as I designed this center. While my wheelchair is currently tucked up in the attic, in case of needing it in the future, for many people, assistive mobile devices are a way of life. I designed this gym with them in mind. Watching people struggle in a place that is not ADA friendly, I want to make changes. Additionally, because of COVID, I gave space for social distancing and minimizing cross traffic. This can hopefully reduce the possibility of exposure for the staff and clients. My other goal in designing this sized gym, is to utilize an existing building, reducing environmental pollutants. The cost is decreased and there are less empty structures.

My goal when designing a gym is to make it as space and cost efficient as possible, while remaining large enough to social distance, and adaptable to clients using wheelchairs and mobility devices. Plexiglass dividers or shower curtains may be placed between workout areas to further reduce infection possibility of infection. The floor plan is very basic and can be expanded based on the footprint available. I began with this size gym because it would be easy to use an already existing space. Repurposing an existing building is a great way to reduce waste. My current Physical Therapy facility is housed in an industrial complex. One of the problems in my PT building is that the doors are not handicap accessible, becoming a real challenge for anyone entering the building with a wheelchair or walker. As you can see, I remedied this by using all handicap accessible doors, even in the bathrooms and changing rooms. You can see my original sketch on paper. Then I used one of my favorite programs, Sketch Up to bring the idea to 3D reality.

The finished model of the Physical therapy gym, containing:

1) Socially distanced waiting room and exercise room.

2) ADA compliant doors and bathrooms/changing rooms.

3) Swimming pool allowing aerobic and anaerobic exercise.

4) Locker area to store personal belongings while swimming.

5) Open office space to allow flexibility.