DAYLIGHTING LIFE TIME FITNESS
CENTERS
Life Time Fitness Centers
 A
two-and-a-half-year study by Life Time Fitness Centers found that Chicago,
Illinois, is one of the most fitness-oriented cities in the nation. The
research also concluded that citizens of the Windy City are well-educated
shoppers and consumers who seek out the best deal before making a purchase. As
a result of their intense study, Life Time Fitness Centers, of Eden Prairie,
Minnesota, infiltrated the suburbs of Chicago with ten, $ 20 million,
100,000-square-foot, comprehensive fitness centers. These facilities are
comprised of first-class amenities at affordable prices to draw membership.
Complete with an extensive weight and cardio machine area, three swimming
pools, two basketball courts, volleyball courts, whirlpools, children's area,
seven rock-climbing walls and a conference center, Life Time Fitness Centers
offer the feel of an expensive spa and resort at a reasonable
price.
"The main focus was to create a warm, inviting environment for
fitness and well-being," says William Doerr, architect for Life Time Fitness.
"Since the mid-90s when the company began to grow substantially, we have been
able to build bigger and better clubs to fulfill the growing demand. But we
don't want to lose our personalized feeling of comfort. We design our centers
with the member in mind."
Upon entering any Life Time Fitness Center,
members are greeted by a commanding 100' x 45' skylight located over the main
floor. "You see it as soon as you enter the building," explains Doerr. "It
truly creates a point of reference from anywhere in the club." The massive
self-supporting skylight system was designed, engineered, manufactured,
delivered and installed with single-source responsibility by Structures
Unlimited, Inc. "Structures Unlimited's unique, aluminum box beam system aids
the interior design," continues Doerr. "Translucent Kalwall® panels allow
filtered, natural light deep into the center of the fitness area. You can't do
that with exterior windows alone." The diffuse-light-transmitting properties of
Kalwall effectively illuminate the space with natural daylight without the
harsh glare, hot spots and shadows often associated with traditional skylights
and glazing. With the Structures Unlimited, Inc. System, the cost of electric
lighting is significantly reduced. Even on cloudy days, an even balance of
usable, natural light fills the interior. A light transmission of 20% was
specified for this project.
"We also chose the Structures Unlimited,
Inc. Skylight System because of its ability to clearspan a large space with the
most highly insulating, diffuse-light-transmitting technology available," says
Doerr. "It delivers significant energy-saving factors." During the
manufacturing process, Kalwall panels can be infilled with various densities of
specialized translucent insulation, greatly reducing heating and air
conditioning costs. The HVAC problems inherent with glass skyroofs are
eliminated as the system controls solar heat transmission. In the standard
2-3/4" (70 mm) Kalwall panels, U-factor options range from .53 to as low as .10
for thermally broken panels as tested and/or computer modeled according to
NFRC-100 procedures endorsed by the Department of Energy. The Structures
Unlimited, Inc. thermally broken system delivers the ultimate energy efficiency
and condensation control. Life Time Fitness Centers specify a thermally broken
panel with a U-factor of .23, a solar heat gain coefficient of 0.23, and
diffuse-light transmission of 20%.
The exterior of the Life Time Fitness
Centers features Georgian-style architecture, which includes a brick surface,
aluminum curtainwall and arch-girded windows, with the Structures Unlimited,
Inc. Skylight forming the atrium. The equally impressive interior features
marble floors and slate walls, plus limestone showers and granite table tops in
the locker rooms.
Life Time Fitness Centers typically have 8,000 to
10,000 members per club, drawing from a five-mile radius. According to Mark
Zaebst, Vice President of Real Estate and Development for Life Time Fitness
Centers, "the goal is to place facilities in high-quality commercial areas; in
central locations so families have access to other amenities in the same part
of town. We have found our commitment to families to be quite appealing, and as
it turns out, they make up the bulk of our membership."
Continues Doerr,
"We currently have eight Life Time Fitness Centers that feature the Structures
Unlimited, Inc. Skylight System throughout the Midwest and East, with another
eight in the planning and construction phases. We chose the Structures
Unlimited, Inc. translucent Skylight System because of the company's
outstanding quality, long track record, excellent technical and staff
assistance to architects, and truly one-source capability."
Life Time
Fitness Centers
Eden Prairie, Minnesota
Architect: William
Doerr
Photography: Don Pitlik |
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