Whyte Woolf: A Breakthrough in Fitness Club Design

Arthur Yang's Innovative Approach to Traditional Church Architecture

Arthur Yang's Whyte Woolf Fitness Club is a unique blend of traditional and modern design. Inspired by the ceiling frescoes of Western churches, Yang sought to break traditional norms and use anatomy as the subject of his murals. The result is a space that maintains the spirit of traditional church form architecture, while introducing a fresh, modern perspective.

The Whyte Woolf Fitness Club stands out for its innovative use of space and form. Traditional church architecture, which is rare in the East and often associated with the sacred, has been reimagined in this design. Yang's vision was to create a different type of space within a building with a strong sense of form. The theme of breakthrough was central to this vision, not as a rejection of tradition, but as a transformation of it.

The club was realized using a variety of materials including terrazzo, steel plate, aluminium alloy, and hollow sheet. This 1700 square meter space is a testament to Yang's innovative approach to design. The project, which started in June 2019 and was completed in August 2019, was constructed in Dalian.

Yang's design process involved a thorough study of the interior decoration of similar buildings both domestically and internationally. The aim was to choose a modern solution that fully preserved the top of the original building while adding a fresh, modern touch. The challenge was to create a completely different visual pattern within a traditional building, and assess public acceptance of such a radical change.

The Whyte Woolf Fitness Club design is a testament to Yang's innovative approach to design. His vision of creating a different kind of space within a traditional building has been realized in a remarkable way. The design, which has been awarded the Silver A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award in 2020, is a testament to Yang's creativity and professional expertise.