There are many considerations when it comes to designing a climbing gym, so we asked our Lead designer at Climb ICP for the top 3. Here are a few design specific considerations to get you psyched on envisioning your new space.

Developing a Foundational Vision.

We absolutely love to ‘nerd-out’ on all things climbing. Part of the initial stages within the design process is getting to know our clients. Having the fun conversations and collaborating on the ideal ‘foundational vision’ for your gym is a great way to kick things off and sync-up on ideas. Collaboratively, we can begin to inspire one another, innovate and ensure a design that uniquely captures the goals of your facility in a holistic way. Discussions around climbing, passions, dreams and aspirations alongside the facilities scale, functional requirements, look, feel and personality of the environment begin to awaken the creation and provide us a portal into the next phase which is imagining a form and function for the space.

Form and Function

Form and function is all about identifying the balance between optimising climbing and non-climbing spaces within your facility. A huge part of designing walls is about creating a commercially viable space. As every location offers up a unique layout, existing infrastructure and access – careful consideration to the terrain of your gym is vital. Consider your social and congregation areas, training areas, amenities, staff areas and storage etc. Also the safety matting footprint within your gym is largely determined by the features and design of the walls, so understanding how wall design effects non-climbing areas/space is something we can guide clients through. Ultimately we’re aiming for the perfect balance of utility within your facility while offering up unique climbing surface’s that route-setters and customers will love for years to come.

A unique boulder gym render, with upstairs and downstairs climbing areas
A 3d rendering of a boulderhall with people on the floor.
A rendering of a boukder hall room with people in it.

Aesthetic, innovation and the ability to stand out in the crowd

As we know, climbing is continually growing and evolving. At ICP, our design team is always striving to innovate, evolve and find new offerings for our clients while keeping up on the latest trends and even creating our own. With various gym sizes and styles popping up all over the world – from large scale commercial gyms to smaller boutique style gyms within pockets of communities – the requirement to stand out and offer something unique has never been more important. There are many ways to stand out, attract your desired market and build the climbing community of your dreams.

Whether you’re after a gym fit to run competitions, with integrated comp walls, optimal viewing and isolation/training areas, a facility that has a unique look and feel based on colour, texture or other aesthetics, or simply a place to build a ‘rock-solid’ community hub – we can ensure your project encompasses all the features required to hone-in on your target market.

Ultimately – when it comes to designing gyms, we love what we do.We want to collaborate with our clients, take as long as it takes to realise your dreams and bring them to life. A shared experience that usually evolves into a long-lasting friendship. Ultimately at ICP our goal is to provide a design that is safe, that will change people’s lives for the better and provides an evolution for the sport we all value so much.