Project Information

Equinox Hotels

Challenge

Pioneers have a problem. Once they expand boundaries and turn unknown lands into the familiar, how do they decide what’s next? Having pioneered luxury fitness across the world — with 83 fitness clubs in 14 major markets — Equinox was looking for another way to exceed the high expectations of their loyal community. Opening a hotel felt like a natural progression.

For 25 years, they have pushed the boundaries of movement, nutrition, and regeneration. A hotel could be a place where their holistic approach to wellbeing could continue to live more fully. To elevate and extend their brand towards this new opportunity — they invited us to define, design and launch the ‘Equinox Hotels’ brand.

Solution

We defined the Equinox audience as those who are constantly striving to be better than who they were yesterday. It’s through this pursuit that they are led to opposing extremes: Discipline and indulgence. Relentlessness and relaxation. Excess and absence.

They want it all. They go after it all. And they want a place that shares their appreciation for these collisions. For the all and the nothing.

We believed these dualities could complement each other. By crafting an uncommonly disciplined brand — rooted in the idea of extremes — we embraced this philosophy. Light and dark. Warm and cool. Hard and soft. Up and down. Black and white. Near and far. These extremes define the new brand of Equinox Hotels.

We looked to amplify the relevant equities built into the existing Equinox brand, yet elevate and evolve them. By taking a familiar graphic element from the original Equinox wordmark, for example, we could imbue it with new meaning and tell a new story. Now, in addition to inviting guests to work out with Equinox for a few hours, they are invited to stay for days. By embracing a tone of purposeful design restraint, we expand from the power of physical movement to the art of regeneration.

The brand is built to embrace the distinct tones of each location, acting as a framework for the unique qualities of each city. The first Equinox hotel launched in New York City’s Hudson Yards, with plans to open doors in several cities across the globe.

Team

  • Gabe Benzur
  • Megan Bowker
  • Brian Collins
  • Cheryl Johnson
  • Mari Juliano
  • Bryna Keenaghan
  • Mark Kingsley
  • Tomas Markevicius
  • Leo Porto
  • Jules Tardy
  • Natalie Vartanian
  • Hugo & Marie
Up