One key to a well-executed building design is in the identification and anticipation of what trends exist and what trends are to come. Fitness facility owners must be aware of the following trends and how they affect fitness facility design if they want a well-designed club:

Good design is good business. The reliance on design as a tool for success continues to grow. Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ legacy is how he used design to seduce people with a colorful array of oddly shaped computers when everyone had boring black boxes. People were enticed by the feel of the all-white iPod with its soft and sexy rounded edges. From the beautifully easy functions of the iPhone to the brilliance of the iPad, Apple’s success has been about the power of design as a means to our hearts and wallets. Apple’s stores—interestingly the only company computer stores left in the world—echoed this design strategy. Good design is not just about the look but also the flow, function, presentation and sexiness of a product.

Target stores have shown that the consumers seeking bargains will be loyal to a store that can provide a better shopping experience. Walgreens is embarking on a design initiative to create a better user experience than the competition. Its new stores are beautifully lit, have clear paths, wide aisles, attractive colors and are easy to navigate. Walgreens’ research indicated that a well-designed store gains market share, sells more items and makes more money.

Clubs are no different. Good design sells. By creating a sense of value and delivering on quality, clubs will be rewarded.

Big and small. Clubs are getting bigger and smaller. Traditionally, the 25,000-square-foot club was the sweet spot to deliver adequate services and be competitive. However, the number of mid-sized clubs being built is shrinking because current economies of scale make it difficult for some to be profitable.

Now, big full-service clubs with diverse programming and amenities appealing to a wide range of consumers are increasing in number. These community-based centers, typically 40,000 square feet and larger, offer multiple group exercise rooms, programming, functional training, abundant fitness and lavish locker rooms. More than half of the clubs offer family and aquatic programming. The growth of these large clubs has been made possible partially by large vacant tenant spaces on which landlords have offered attractive deals to land an anchor tenant. These clubs can dominate a marketplace due to the range of offerings and wide demographic appeal.

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