The Boxing Club, San Diego

 “LET’S GO CRAZY WITH THIS” WERE THE WIDE OPEN INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN TO THE DESIGNER, MARIANNE BERG WITH MBEE STUDIO.

The Boxing Club is a ground-floor fitness center, highly visible to the downtown San Diego walking traffic.  “Let’s go crazy with this” were the wide open instructions given to the designer, Marianne Berg with Mbee Studio. Marianne's design vision was to capture the mix of opposites - "the yin and yang of boxing” as she says.  Blending the strenuous, hard-hitting boxing training, with softer and more elegant design elements.  

The chandeliers at the front entrance and over the main boxing ring are meant to add the elegance, contrasting to the roughness of a boxing match.  There’s also giant mural of Muhammad Ali by painted by local street artists dominating the entrance to the club.   Beneath the rows of about 40 heavy boxing bags, is Junckers Beech solid hardwood, installed with the Clip System, allowing for individual plank flexing and providing impact absorption to the athletes using the club.  

It was Scott O’Connell with Fitness and Flooring who first recommended Junckers Hardwood to Marianne.  Coincidentally, Junckers had been previously supplied to other Boxing Club locations, so it was well received for a highly functional and beautiful floor.  In addition to the boxing bag area, Junckers was supplied for the separate Yoga and Pilates areas.  Then Marianne continued with the Beech hardwood to the benches, walls, and even ceilings.  Marianne believe the tan Beechwood was a "knock out" with the stark contrast of unfinished concrete and black, white, red color scheme found elsewhere in the club.