In a city full of fitness centers and clubs, the LAAC stands out. It’s an old-world members-only club that also has hotel rooms, a spa, nail salon, barber shop and multiple floors of Soho House-style co-working spaces.
Its rich heritage is evident in framed vintage photos and artwork throughout the building. It embodies an industrious spirit that’s always ready for action.
The History
Founded in 1880, LAAC is the oldest athletic club in Los Angeles and arguably one of the most iconic in California. Long before private clubs became centers for social interaction and professional networking, the LAAC was founded to promote physical culture and was the training ground for 97 Olympians, including surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku and Johnny Weissmuller (aka Tarzan). Today, walking into this grandiose Beaux Arts building on 7th Street in downtown Los Angeles feels less like entering an old world members-only club than it does a modern gym. Yet despite undergoing multiple renovations over the years, this club’s roots are still very much present.
The LAAC’s historic Players Restaurant serves up a variety of meals from brunch and lunch to dinner and cocktails, including Prince Edward Island mussels with chorizo sausage and seared dayboat scallops. The facility also offers a wide range of sports and classes for their members. In addition to the 30,000 square foot fitness center, the LAAC has an indoor track, John Wooden namesake basketball court and squash, handball and racquetball courts.
The LAAC’s storied heritage is evident throughout the club with framed vintage photos and artifacts on display in hidden hallways, stairwells and conference rooms. It’s a heritage that was a major factor in the rebranding process. We leveraged this rich history to provide the club with a refined typographic system, graphics and color palettes that reflected their history but moved them into the future.
The Design
A member-only club, hotel, restaurant and spa aren’t typically found under one roof but that’s the case at LAAC, the city’s first private institution founded in 1880. The historic high-rise on Olive and 7th Streets has seen many renovations over its 138-year history but the latest enhancements, led by local firm SRK Architects, bring the club to new generations of Los Angeles residents seeking health, wellness and social connection.
SRK’s goal was to create an experience that would appeal to the new generation of downtown patrons while honoring the club’s rich heritage and legacy. This involved a careful balance of new and old, traditional and modern amenities.
For example, the Blue Room, formerly an exclusive members-only speakeasy where the influential Uplifters Club was founded in 1912 counting Walt Disney and Clark Gable among its prestigious members, was reopened with a revamped design by Timothy Oulton that celebrates the club’s rich past while providing a sophisticated, modern environment for conversation and cocktails.
The next phase of the project will update the sixth floor to include a new unisex spa with treatment rooms, a barber shop and nail salon as well as an updated Kahuna Room named after surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku in honor of his storied membership at the club. The rooms will be infused with natural light and a Hawaiian theme that celebrates the club’s history while elevating the club’s offerings for today.
The Identity
The iconic LAAC offers its hotel and club guests a unique combination of private gym, upscale restaurant, bars and meeting rooms. The LAAC was the first members club in Los Angeles and still has a sense of heritage that other clubs can’t compete with. It’s framed vintage photos and artifacts line the hidden hallways of the building, and you can still feel the history in the rooms that were once reserved exclusively for members.
Long before Soho House and other members-only clubs attracted the elite for social interaction, business networking, or special interests like magic, LAAC focused on the body and the spirit. This ethos is still in place, and it’s evident the moment you walk through the doors of the club and see the state-of-the-art facilities, including the John Wooden namesake basketball court, indoor track, squash, handball, and racquetball courts.
The Club is still a private club, with some areas reserved strictly for dues-paying members and others for an even more exclusive class of member known as’referring members.’ Despite this, the club is still open to the public for overnight stays in the hotel’s boutique guest rooms, and guests gain limited membership privileges when they stay here. They get to use the state-of-the-art fitness center, enjoy the opulent locker rooms, and indulge in the speakeasy-style Invention Bar for drinks and cocktails.
The Future
Located in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, this hotel and athletic club blends historic elegance with modern amenities. Rooms are decorated in dark colors with bright accents, and each is equipped with a flat-screen cable TV and turn-down service. Guests have access to the gym and fitness classes, and can also enjoy drinks at the Invention bar or dine at Famous Players restaurant.
After a multimillion dollar renovation, the LAAC has opened a state-of-the-art facility on its seventh floor, designed to exceed modern expectations for athletes and wellness enthusiasts. With the latest cardio machines and free weights, a new indoor track surface and the John Wooden namesake basketball court, the space is a haven for those dedicated to the pursuit of physical well-being.
However, the multi-layered experience of this club is what sets it apart from other gyms and health clubs. For one, the locker rooms feature spa-grade steam, sauna and quiet meditation lounges. In addition to this, the club offers squash, handball and racquetball courts as well as studio space for up to twenty weekly fitness classes.
For those who want to take their workouts to the next level, there’s also a heated outdoor pool, and a spa featuring massage, nail services and a cold plunge pool. With all these amenities, the LAAC is truly an escape from the jittery reality of the city around it.
