Fitness Finesse by Dan Killebrew, AIA
Project Northwood Club Pool and Fitness Facility, Dallas Client Northwood Club Architect Good Fulton & Farrell Architects Design team David Farrell, AIA; Scott Sower, AIA; R. Lawrence Good, FAIA; Ricardo Montoya, AIA; Todd Toupal; Hayley Smithhart Contractor Hill & Wilkinson General Contractors Consultants RLG Consulting Engineers (civil); SMR Landscape Architects (landscape); TechniStructures (structural); ARS Accessibility Resource Specialists (accessibility); Telios Engineers/Consultants (mep); GFF Interiors (interiors); Alliance Food Equipment/Texas Metal Equipment (kitchen) Photographer Good Fulton & Farrell Architects
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n a bucolic natural setting of rolling hills, the Northwood Club was established in 1946 by residents of north Dallas to provide golf and recreational activities for young families in an expanding city. The latest addition to the club — the fitness center, completed in 2010 —houses strength training, aerobics, a yoga studio, and child care services, along with food service for pool users and golfers. As at many private clubs in recent years, Northwood’s fitness center answers the demands of a changing demographic, catering to the interests of those private club members desiring more than a round of golf. Offering these additional services extends the club’s family-friendly posture to include activities for spouses and children. The fitness center creates a compelling opportunity for new members to join by offering a transitional membership as a stepping stone toward future full-service membership including golf and tennis. Good Fulton & Farrell Architects was commissioned to design the new center as a complement to the original clubhouse. In light of the opportunity afforded by the lush acreage in the heart of north Dallas, the design team of Scott Sower, AIA, and design principal David Farrell, AIA, responded by carving the fitness center into the hillside on a little-used corner of the 50-year-old property. Assuming the appearance of a one-
7/8 2012
Texas Architect 57