New York is filled with sleekly designed places to exercise, but right now there’s nowhere chicer to break a sweat than 45 Grand, Nike’s private fitness studio in SoHo. Housed in a former metalwork shop, the glamour-meets-industrial space, which functions as a hub for Nike+ members and a showroom for Nike collections, was designed by AD100 designer Rafael de Cárdenas in partnership with creative director Jen Brill.

All the design elements were chosen to highlight new Nike products and to give invited guests a chance to experience the brand through special classes and one-on-one sessions with some of the best trainers in the city. De Cárdenas drew from the location’s industrial past while adding a seductive spin. “We liked the idea of everything else being kind of technical, like a lab, with a level of perfection to it,” he says.

The second-floor mezzanine serves as a lounge where upcoming collections are displayed. The big wow moment comes from a tufted banquette, designed as a loose interpretation of Nike’s Lunarlon shoe, in front of which are cocktail tables designed to reference the hexagonal grooves of Nike Free soles. Behind the seating, a one-way mirror allows guests to look down on athletes training in the studio. A private nook on this level also features a treadmill area for gait analysis and a fitting room for pant hemming and sports-bra fittings.

The space is so chic, even the most gym-phobic would feel right at home. But at the end of the day, De Cárdenas knows that style isn’t the real focus here. “It’s not some sort of fashion gym. It’s a real workout.”

Click here to tour 45 Grand.

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