Sweat by BXR Qatar, designed by Bergman Design House

Do you remember the ultimate gym boxing club, in the heart of London? Well, BXR London has travelled to the Middle East, and we are here to tell you all about it! Given its success in London with BXR - a boxing club and SWEAT by BXR - the perfect place for group workouts, this London based behemoth has decided to conquer the Middle East and trust us: we couldn’t be more excited.

Why? You would ask. It is an easy question to answer. Aside from loving the concept, we had the honor to design both places from top to bottom. Working on the concept and interior design of the London gym boxing club was an incredibly fun experience, as we had the chance to embark on a new and unexpected journey at Bergman Design House.

Creating a space that merged high residential style end and industrial together wasn’t easy, but a challenge we were happy to take on. However, when we were working on the new Sweat by BXR for Qatar, we wanted to have a different approach.

We wanted to create a zen fitness studio, not just a gym boxing studio and our goal was to mix wellness and serenity between punches. Well, we know this idea sounds a little crazy, but what is life without a challenge and what is design without a little bit of adventure?

Introducing BXR Qatar

To give you a little bit of a breakdown on BXR’s newest adventure, we will quote our latest feature on Well To Do below:

The four-year-old business, which currently operates two sites in London’s Canary Wharf and Marylebone, has plans to grow its footprint over the next year as it continues to bounce back from the challenges of the pandemic.

BXR Doha, located in the iconic Burj Doha Tower, will be the brand’s first stand-alone Sweat by BXR Studio designed specifically for group training. And will house two of its conceptual rooms: boxing and cardio (versa climbing).

Let’s continue from here…

From Gym Boxing to Zen Fitness

Sweat by BXR Qatar, designed by Bergman Design House

Sweat by BXR Qatar, designed by Bergman Design House

We wanted to deliver the same quality and experience in Qatar, as we did in London, but adding another level to it. By creating a Zen Fitness area, where workouts like yoga, pilates and stretching are a possibility, we were able to create a transition from hard punches to soft movement. Some may think they are feminine, but trust us when we say: Yoga for example is one of the hardest sports you can try in your life.

In this zen fitness studio you are greeted with a mixture of feminine and masculine elements once again, blended in a seamless way now throughout the workout spaces and changing rooms. The ultimate goal was for the boxing club to keep its strength and make you feel like you want to deliver that one extra punch during your workout, while for the softer movements we created a lighter palette with soft finishes and beautiful, leafy wallpaper that is equally a feature and a beautiful element in the space.

Sweat by BXR Qatar, designed by Bergman Design House

As we wanted to bring in something we and the audience equally loved in our London boxing gym, we asked the amazing Ben Slow, to create a custom artwork of Muhammad Ali to give an extra glow to the space.

Aside from that, we wanted to mix something, we had in the London Fitness Studio, which was the following:

Dedication, professional trainers and motivating space = success.

However, we have been talking so much about our previous project, we have to tell you one thing: it is one of our proudest work, as it has received a lot of prestigious features on publications like Vogue, GQ or Forbes. To top that, we have an article, where we explain our design process, what made the project special and why it is an experience you shouldn’t miss, if you are visiting London or living there. It is truly a one of a kind workout experience and we wholeheartedly recommend you to go and check it out.

But is there anything else to Sweat by BXR in Qatar? Don’t worry, there definitely is and we are about to show you that it isn’t just a boxing gym or a zen fitness studio.

When a Gym Boxing Studio turns into a Bar

Sweat by BXR Qatar, designed by Bergman Design House

…Or a juice bar at least. When you look at this space, you’d think you have walked into a posh, European restaurant, while you are at a boxing gym in Qatar, in the majestic Middle East. At the first glance maybe you wouldn’t even notice the shakers or the stylish, Chemex coffee makers, but the interior and think: Have I ended up in a restaurant? Can I still get a protein shake though?

Sweat by BXR Qatar, designed by Bergman Design House

Don’t worry, you can! At Sweat by BXR, we wanted your pre workout or post workout routine to become a ritual and to remind you: you can work hard, you can workout harder, but you must relax and enjoy life the hardest. While you are taking a seat, to enjoy your favourite healthy beverage (prepared by a bartender) you are reminded of how well interior design and workout can mix together.

In this space, we used boxing gloves, shakers, clothes and beverages and accessories to remind you what you have come to accomplish, while taking a moment of break. With the feature wall of Arabic calligraphy throughout that area, we feel like this place pays homage to its heritage in a nice, contemporary way. 

Let’s not stop here though. While we were working on our previous boxing gym project in London, we wanted to create strong and significant design stories for both changing rooms as we felt like those spaces are helping you prep for the workout, as well as calming down after a good sweat session. For this reason, let us show you how we have incorporated these ideas from the London boxing gym studio to a completely new idea in Sweat by BXR, in Qatar.

Male Changing Room - Zen Fitness experience

Sweat by BXR Qatar, designed by Bergman Design House

If you remember, in London black marble and dark timber were dominating a space creating a deep, contemporary look and feel. In Qatar, we wanted to design a changing room with a bathroom space that is deep in look and feel, but looks a little more sophisticated. Why? Because the space itself has its softness within the yoga, pilates and stretching area, which is calm and feminine to help you truly have a Zen Fitness experience.

Here we were working with the mixture of different marbles, tiles and metals to create a masculine, yet elegant design. A space that feels like it has been pulled from a Presidential Suite, while being the one, where you are able to get ready or relax after a hard workout.

So what does the female Changing Room look like?

Sweat by BXR Qatar, designed by Bergman Design House

This space is the continuation of the Zen Fitness area of BXR. Its light timber finish with light grey walls and white/grey marbles could sound a bit dull at first, but not when you look at the space. The overlapping marble countertop with the purple veins is one we could stare at for hours.

It is a feature that is impossible to miss and also important to mention. Why? Because without it the space could look a little bit flat, however adding this extra color and an usual shape we were able to design something that is truly unique to the space. The wall color resembles the one with the leaves in the yoga area, while this marble element is bringing a bit more funk and excitement to a place that normally doesn’t hold much excitement.

While working on this project, we wanted to make sure that you feel motivated, relaxed and inspired at the same time. This is a space that can help you both relax and recharge while being connected to the rest of the Boxing Gym.

Final Words

We are truly honored for having the chance to work on these projects and experience these ideas become reality and also to see BXR becoming a franchise. While we have worked on this project, we were lucky enough to have our clients become a part of our Bergman Family. Designing, decorating and changing interiors are always part of a whole team and our position has been exceptional, which we are really proud of.

While Bergman Design House’s main domain is hospitality and residential design, our group also specialises in custom furniture at BlackBerg Collection, as well as SuperYacht design at Njord by Bergman. You can contact us for any further inquiries at info@bergmaninteriors.com.

We also have a blog, where we share our latest news as well as Interior design tips and tricks to help you learn, usually in a series of articles, which you can find here.

Feel free to also have a glimpse at Our Project Catalogue, where you can have a look at our residential projects as well as hospitality projects.

Finally, don’t forget to check us out on Instagram and Pinterest, where we share a lot of behind the scene videos and images of our upcoming projects. We hope to see you there!