How Artists Turned Paris into Their Personal Gym
Oh, gym memberships. You sign up and, for awhile, you’re 100% dedicated, getting your workout on after the office and even on weekends. But then it gets kind of boring. And then you just don’t go. But funny thing about those gym memberships: Even though you haven’t been in a month, you still have to pay. And let’s just think about how many pairs of shoes you could be buying with that wasted monthly fee. But what if we told you that you could still have access to fitness facilities without the cost? And what if they were scattered all over your neighborhood? This is not just a fitness fantasy we’re having over here. It exists! Well, kind of…
Designer and architect Florian Brillet, photographer and videographer Nicolas Lelievre and advertising corporation JCDecaux have teamed up on a project titled Mens Sana in Corpore Sano (Latin for “a sound mind in a sound body”) that transforms 10 street signs in Paris into workout equipment.
The transformations include sign posts that have been turned into everything from a common basketball hoop and soccer goal to more imaginative ideas like a small putting green and kickboxing equipment. Brillet explains that the project is not only about making the world a little healthier, but also about appealing to people’s imaginations and inviting them to think about how a city can be turned into a huge playing field.
Mens Sana in Corpore Sano might only be an art installation right now, but we’re seeing real potential for this idea. We mean, if curbside parks exist, why not curbside gyms? And how fun would it be to turn a series of urban workout spots into one super workout, jogging from one activity to the next? Attention Leslie Knope and the entire Parks and Rec department: We’ll be stopping by Pawnee City Hall to discuss shortly.
Would you use fitness equipment set up in urban environments? Why or why not? Let us know below.
