written by Interior Designer Ürün Albayrak



As we proceed into the 21st century, healthy lifestyles are becoming more prominent. Gyms, which for earlier generations had only been the haunt of professional athletes, nowadays provide services to everyone who look to understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle. With these developments in mind, Fit Plus Fitness & Wellness Center, a gym brand, has been created by the Northernland Group of Companies in order to meet these changing society needs.

The first of this brand was constructed at Alasya Park; this was awarded the Best Commercial Space Interior Design award at the Propertync Awards 2019. This year, the second will be built at Northernland Premier and I will talk about it in this article. Again this year, a gym will be opened in Via Park Residence, and the construction of that gym is ongoing. These three important investments are designed to provide services to the people of Famagusta as well as the residents of the individual residences.

The presence of indoor and outdoor semi-Olympic swimming pools, Turkish baths, massage rooms, steam rooms and saunas in this project and in the third phase of the construction, raises the bar of standard fitness centres and moves more into the realm of a "wellness centre".

Northernland Premier, the tallest structure in Northern Cyprus, provides communal services for both the on-site apartments as well as the surrounding neighbourhoods with a 1600 m2 indoor commercial area and 600 m2 outdoor activity area, pool and bar facility. At the Fit Plus Fitness & Wellness Center, I have made great efforts to use the same textures and tones in every part of the gym, starting from the lobby at the entrance of the building, in order to combine luxury details and offer a dynamic sporting environment. A lobby worthy of this magnificent building was planned, and we have used natural marbles on the floor and natural wood materials on other surfaces.

The ceiling height of the lobby, which is dominated by dark colours, is 4 metres. The feeling of spaciousness of the area is increased by the use of panels with the marbles laid on the floor offering a minimum junction with the size of 100x100 cm. The pot belly planter on the lobby table is also filled with green plants to create a contrast to the lobby’s dark tones. The floor of the Schindler, fast elevator, is covered with Italian porcelain laminates to match the lobby, the wooden details are the same material as the lobby, and the cabin mirrors are again of a special design.

When you take the lift or steps down you come to the entrance of the Fit Plus Fitness & Wellness Center and the car park area devoted to it. When you enter through the glass door into the hall, you come to the welcome section with dining tables, bar, information desk, and a corridor from here to the spa, pool and massage rooms.

For the special porcelain countertop used in the bar area, we have chosen an antibacterial material that is resistant to knife scratches and marks caused by hot and cold beverages. Hidden sound and light systems were placed in the coffee machines, freezers and shelves in the bar, and the control mechanisms were also hidden here. Long-lasting and beneficial materials were used for the dining tables and chairs by choosing compact table tops and plastic chairs with cast legs, all in keeping with the same design format. When entering the gym, all the floors of all sections are covered with a special 60x120 cm rubber; this deadens the sounds made by the weights as they are placed on the floor. For the section where the running and cycle machines are located, screens are placed at eye level. Graphics and photographs are used on wall surfaces up to 500 cm, on specially designed UV prints on MDF.

Illuminated, specially designed columns feature iron skeletons, covered with composites and vinyl. On some surfaces, mirrors up to 300 cm in length are covered and illuminated inside. Large ventilation and air conditioning ducts, instead of being hidden, are painted in the same colours as the ceiling, adding a texture to the space. Linear lighting laid on the ventilation ducting is also a special design.

Northernland has made a great contribution to the interior design of the space by ordering special colours and models in specially produced sports equipment in order to create a privileged space as in their other projects - although sometimes incurring higher costs in this process.

The main hall can also be sub-divided into two studios. Theses studios can control ventilation, air conditioning, lighting and sound systems independently from the main hall. It is important to be able to operate independently from the hall, as the studios will be arranged according to their intended use and will be used for private sessions. With hidden storage spaces inside the studios, space has also been opened up for personnel equipment.

Antibacterial and stain-proof materials were used in the changing rooms and showers, and the lockers were designed in accordance with the general style and colours of the overall schemes.
The floor of the corridor leading to the Wellness Center is wood-patterned, water-resistant and non-slip. The special niche system I have created on the walls and the feeling it creates with its calm brown tones, transports the person from the dynamic lines of the gym and offers a comfort and calmness. At the end of the corridor, there is a separate lobby with a controlled entrance system included; the purpose being to provide a certain privacy when private usage times are created. The special ceramics used in the pool section, the lighting created in the suspended ceiling, the ventilation and air conditioning settlements all have a separate design from the hall. The pool ceramics are glass mosaics with pearl and coral features, an eye-catching reflection is created on the water with the special placement of the lighting.

Spa, sauna, Turkish bath and three separate massage rooms are the other areas in the Wellness Center.

The wooden materials used in the sauna were imported from Africa. This kiln-dried, knot-free and resin-free material is produced from Abachi wood, which is less heated than other woods. The walls are plaster on ytong blocks and the carcass of the cabin is made of Spruce wood, with wall and ceiling coverings made with inorganic fiberglass as both sound and heat insulation. Hidden lights were placed above and below the bunk beds in all sauna cabins. The baths were designed with a domed shape inspired by Ottoman architecture. When the evaporating water rises, it condenses back to its liquid form. With the help of the dome, the water accumulating on the ceiling flows outwards towards the edges without disturbing the people using the baths. Domes are an important detail that show how our traditional and historical baths are based on strong designs. On the door of the baths T-reel door knockers are used, as in the historical Ottoman Haman’s.

All three of the massage rooms have locker rooms, showers and toilets. Adjustable lighting, wallpapers and ventilation will support activities such as tranquillity or sports massages that can create an ambiance depending on the type of massage to be applied.

A significant budget has been allocated for this project, which is the product of a very long process and was created with many needs in mind. I would like to thank Northernland for providing the opportunities to accomplish such a project.