In Athens, Shape Haus, designed by Studio Opaque² reinterprets the boutique fitness studio as a carefully curated spatial environment. Through a controlled palette and the precise selection of architectural elements—including a red PVC curtain, a luminous neon sign, a black-painted entry space, and a suspended metal ceiling—the project constructs a distinct interior where spatial composition and bodily movement are closely interrelated, shaping a focused and atmospherically charged training experience.

In Athens, Shape Haus designed by Studio Opaque² proposes a rethinking of the boutique fitness studio—not merely as a place of exercise, but as a curated spatial experience. 

In Shape Haus, colour, materiality, light, and spatial sequencing are composed precisely resulting in a theatrical memorable maybe? environment with a strong identity.

Conceived for personalised training and specialised classes, the interior undergoes a complete transformation that balances bold chromatic choices with architectural precision. 

The design carefully reflects on the arrangement of distinct spatial units and uses, ensuring that each zone is both functionally appropriate and atmospherically charged.

The spatial journey begins in a dramatic, black-painted entry room, an intentionally immersive threshold that establishes an intimate, almost ceremonial tone. A compact seating area reinforces this sense of pause and anticipation. Opposite, a luminous neon sign anchors the wall above the lifting zone, acting as both a visual focal point and a subtle branding device—an illuminated cue that introduces the ethos of Shape Haus. Above this scene, a slender metallic loft stretches across the space, fully exploiting the generous ceiling height and adding a layer of vertical tension and spatial intrigue.

At the core of the project lies a floor-to-ceiling red PVC curtain, operating as a spatial membrane between reception and training areas. 

More than a simple divider, this element becomes a curatorial device: filtering light, colour, and movement while choreographing the transition between zones.

The semi-translucent red surface heightens the space’s theatricality, staging the user’s passage and preparing the body and mind for the intensity of the workout environment beyond.

Within the main training space, height is treated as a primary architectural tool. A suspended metal ceiling lowers the perceived scale, creating a contained and focused atmosphere while seamlessly integrating the lighting system. This intervention tempers the raw verticality of the space, reinforcing control and concentration.

The walls unfold in a deliberate chromatic composition of black, beige, and red—three tonal layers that ground the space while injecting rhythm, contrast, and energy. 

This restrained yet powerful palette becomes central to the project’s identity, reinforcing the idea of design as curation rather than decoration.

A large mirror expands the spatial perception and amplifies movement, while a discreet black-lacquered kitchenette and storage unit is carefully integrated into the corner. Functional requirements are absorbed into the architectural language, preserving the clarity of lines and the overall spatial purity.

Ultimately, Shape Haus dissolves the boundaries between fitness studio and spatial installation. 

Through the considered selection of elements—the red PVC curtain, the luminous neon sign, the blackened entry, the metal ceiling—the project constructs an immersive, theatrical interior where architecture and body intersect. 

It is a space defined not only by use, but by atmosphere, identity, and the deliberate curation of experience.

Facts & Credits
Project title Shape Haus
Typology Interior, Fitness Studio
Location Αthens, Greece
Year 2025
Interior Design & Styling Studio Opaque²
Interior Architects Ioanna Kaiktsoglou, Maria Louiza Biri
Photography Maria Louiza Biri
Text by the authors


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