A calming retreat and tranquil respite from daily life drove the design decisions for this hot yoga studio in Lubbock, Texas.

The transition of moving from one’s outside activity of everyday life into a place that is relaxing and calm was how we approached this new construction commercial design project. As you move from the exterior open space through the compressed entry, into the studio - a wood screen shades the path leading to the front door and creates a semi-private covered outdoor seating area. Behind the wood screen are large windows that reveal the interior reception area while the wood ceiling bridges between the indoor and outdoor spaces.

Once inside, the visitors are greeted with a custom welcome desk in front of a feature wall which helps anchor and brand the space. On either side of the reception area are the changing rooms, laundry facilities, staff room, and other accessory spaces.

The two practice studios are located behind the feature wall. As you walk around either side of the desk an interior courtyard garden emerges, with large skylights flooding the gardens with natural light and drawing the customers back into the building. The pathways through the gardens reinforce the mental and physical transition from daily activity and focusing each participant on their yoga practice.

As with all of our commercial architecture projects, we balanced the functional requirements of yoga practice and teaching - along with the ancillary requirements for the building, sustainable design strategies, and aesthetic decisions that reinforce the business’s brand. Further, we wanted to bring a natural material palette to the project and infusing some northwest modern style to the exterior and interior spaces.

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