Five ideas and products to promote an active lifestyle in urban spaces
Here are five ideas and products that could be used by urban designers and architects to promote an active lifestyle in urban spaces.
1. Cycle lanes and bike racks
It is recommended to design clear cycle lanes/bikeways in districts and cities firmly restricted to cycles. Usually, designers use white or colored markings and logos on asphalt. Yet, it is recommended to use a colored coating, for example, in a green color, which is usually acrylic paint. The colored bikeways give an aesthetic and better mental image to the district or the city.
Bike racks are also recommended to be designed around buildings and near bikeways. Online mobile and web applications are now available for bike pooling. So designing dedicated zones for bike racks and bike pooling services is an added value promoting an active lifestyle in urban spaces.

2. Outdoor fitness equipment
Placing outdoor fitness equipment around cities and districts, in schools, hotels, parks, recreational areas, and others adds great value in promoting an active lifestyle leading to improved health, better sleep, and positive psychological impacts. Outdoor fitness equipment are usually different from conventional gym equipment, as they are more oriented towards functional fitness and body-weight training.
A very good example of premium outdoor fitness equipment is the Energi & Lifetrail products from Playworld. The Energi prime fitness system features 5 stations with 120 exercises and a welcome sign. Check out the Benefits of Fitness Equipment from Playworld`s website.
3. Multi-purpose sports courts
There is a wide variety of systems for multi-purpose outdoor courts, including polyurethane, acrylics, and rubberized system. It usually includes the line marking and sports equipment for basketball, volleyball, and five-a-side football, yet it depends on the designers and popular games of the city and districts to select the relevant games and subsequently the relevant line markings and sports equipment. Tennis and handball, for example, could be considered. In some countries, table tennis is quite popular; in that case, designers could consider dedicated areas for table tennis. Padel tennis is becoming popular in some countries as well, yet it requires its own setup.

4. Jogging tracks
There is a wide variety of jogging track systems as well that are different from the professional running track systems. The jogging track systems are recommended to be rubberized, typically an SBR/EPDM dual-layer system, yet there are other materials used like the TPV and Polyolefin Plastomer based Pebbles (PPP). Jogging tracks are one of the most effective elements in promoting an active lifestyle in the outdoor spaces; it could be a good idea to design outdoor fitness equipment clusters along the jogging track and potentially add motivational markings and logos on the top of the jogging track. Please contact us for our consultancy and design services.
5. Water fitness equipment
This is probably less popular, yet it could be used in hotels, clubs, wellness centers, etc. Water fitness equipment and aquatic therapy is good option to be considered in promoting an active lifestyle through design. Aquaback – Germany is providing products and services for aquatic fitness and water therapy.
For more information, questions, consultancy, and design services, please contact us info@playart.ae and design@playart.ae




