From its home base in Morelia — a city some 200 kilometres west of the Mexican capital — emerging architecture studio FMA is carving out a distinctively polymathic and surprising design sensibility. In 2024, the firm converted a former convent into an intimate and welcoming corporate workspace, creating a gracefully coherent resolution of two very different settings. And this year? The designers have unveiled a fitness studio that eschews gym rat culture in favour of a tranquil aesthetic inspired by spiritual architecture and the wellness movement.

Situated on a once car-dominated and gridlocked street that’s been converted into a lush urban park, the project takes inspiration from the transformation around it. Once a hub of local night life, the neighbourhood has gradually evolved — or aged — into a locus of family life, with a wealth of sports and recreation facilities now becoming common across the newly verdant community. Even so, 165-square-metre Hābico immediately stands out from the pack.

From the sidewalk, the Hābico storefront is quietly distinguished by its unobtrusive sense of tranquility. Inspired by the human body itself, the organic form of curved walls is complemented by textured earth tones, warm lighting and elegantly minimalist signage. It feels almost like a temple.

At the heart of the room, a circular polished metal reception desk creates an intuitive gathering point, framed by cafe-style banquette seating. On the opposite side of the space, a small walk-up bar offers post-workout refreshments.

As the FMA design team puts it, the “architectural language invites users to disconnect from the outside world and reconnect with themselves in a welcoming environment.”

But while the front of house is a study in understatement, the back is all business. Past the reception, a block of change rooms sets the stage for the workout to come.

Designed for a high-intensity mix of cardio and weight training, the studio is a spartan mirrored room, though one boldly accented by colourful overhead lighting, which turns from purple to red, blue and green, corresponding with every phase of the workout. Afterwards, stepping back into the soft contours of the reception space makes for a tranquil re-entry into the urban realm.