Cross-Cultural Fitness Spaces

Merging western and Japanese concepts of materiality and spatial definition, Aqua Sports & Spa is a new health and fitness center designed by COE Architecture International. Owned by Seta Sports Connection, the massive 65,000sq ft building is located in Tokyo's Setagaya-Ku ward. The Aqua Sports & Spa currently houses a gym, spa lounge, traditional Japanese baths fed by onsen spring wells, and is the only private 50-meter swimming pool in greater Tokyo.

Part of the appeal of the Aqua Sports & Spa center is in its ability to promote personal sports training, while also presenting itself as a hospitable place for relaxation and leisure. Hotels and shopping centers are often the most attractive buildings in Japan and according to studio founder Christopher Coe, "This is not just a sports center, and it's not just a cafe. It’s an opportunity to consolidate all those interesting social space together.”