^{Words by Allegra Salvadori | Photography by Mohamad Taqi}

In the dense urban fabric of Sharq, where office towers dominate the skyline, Era Wellness proposes a quieter, more introspective counterpoint. Conceived as a members-only wellness destination, the 700-square-metre project unfolds across three levels, redefining the gym not as a space of exertion alone, but as an immersive architectural experience shaped by ritual, rhythm, and restraint.

Designed by Saccal Design House, Era Wellness was completed in early 2025 following an intensive four-month design and build process. From the outset, the brief went beyond conventional fitness programming. Inspired by the intimacy and cultural cachet of private members’ clubs in London and Los Angeles, the client envisioned a space that privileges atmosphere as much as performance—one that feels curated, intentional, and quietly exclusive.

The architectural concept emerges directly from the idea of a new “era” of wellbeing—holistic, slow, and sensorial. Rather than relying on visual excess, the interiors are defined by subtraction: minimal palettes, softened edges, and continuous surfaces that encourage mental decompression. Limewash walls envelop the spaces in nuanced greige tones, while microcement floors extend seamlessly beneath, dissolving the boundary between vertical and horizontal planes.

Terracotta enters the project sparingly, as an accent rather than a statement, punctuating the neutral envelope with warmth. Greenery—introduced through plants of varying scales—adds a biophilic layer, subtly reconnecting the body in motion with nature.

The programme is divided with clarity yet treated as a cohesive whole. On the women’s floor, arrival is carefully choreographed. Guests step out of the elevator into a reception space concealed behind curtains, which part theatrically to reveal the interior—an intentional moment of transition from city to sanctuary. A sculptural retail wall and a drinks bar clad in three-dimensional terracotta tiles frame the space, while Pilates studios, PT gym areas, and locker facilities are integrated with a sense of spatial fluidity.

The men’s floor adopts a cooler, more restrained palette. Here, grey accents replace terracotta, lending a subtly masculine tone without resorting to cliché. A generous main gym area is paired with a recovery zone and a contrast therapy suite—housing sauna and cold plunge—shared between male and female members, reinforcing the communal ethos of the club.

Above, the mezzanine level functions as a multipurpose studio for barre, yoga, HIIT, and breathwork. Designed as a flexible volume, it is anchored by a waiting and refreshment area, allowing movement and pause to coexist within the same spatial narrative.

One of the project’s most distinctive elements is its reinterpretation of the brand’s sun emblem as an architectural device. Rather than remaining graphic, the motif is translated into space through bespoke design details. Overscaled custom lighting fixtures radiate across the main gym areas, while smaller iterations appear in door handles, drawer pulls, retail hangers, and even the legs of custom-designed café tables.

In the multipurpose studio, the sun motif expands into a halo-like backdrop, framing the instructor and subtly reinforcing the idea of energy, focus, and renewal. Light, both literal and symbolic, becomes a guiding principle throughout the project.

Era Wellness positions itself as a contemporary wellness club—one that understands architecture as a catalyst for behavioural change. Through restraint, material honesty, and a carefully layered spatial sequence, the project reimagines fitness environments as places of contemplation as much as activity.

In doing so, Era Wellness sets a new benchmark for wellness interiors in Kuwait: understated, considered, and deeply attuned to how space can shape the experience of the body in motion.