Sleek and Low
Black & white. Rough & refined. These were the hallmarks of a project developed to connect to a neighborhood rapidly transforming from a Brooklyn backwater to a mecca for tech and creative industry start-ups. With a lower cost of living and threshold of entry for new businesses, the area has attracted a young and ambitious population—just the spot for the next outpost of the rapidly growing Equinox brand. The Equinox ethos is tough and rugged. The design of the Equinox Williamsburg mirrors this uncompromising, high-octane brand image with and a high contrast palette of bright whites, rich charcoals, deep blacks, and raw woods. Materials with a strong personality like blackened steel, matte concrete, natural plywood, and construction-grade blackened plywood are juxtaposed against sleek elements like black and white high gloss tile, white enameled steel, and smoked mirror. This play of opposites is all organized by a liminal architecture of simplicity. Lighting is used not just as illumination but to subtly mark spatial zones like the cardio and strength training areas defined with a grid of vertical LED fixtures grouped in distinct clusters. The gym is configured with the locker rooms below the main loft. INC developed a simple cascading cluster of light fixtures that descends with the stairs to draw the members down. The Equinox Williamsburg exudes a sleek edginess that feels right at home in this newly minted neighborhood of forward-looking, creative urbanites.
