More Than Print, Chapter 5: Communication in Action
- INDEXX INC.
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
From Construction Site to Branded Experience-- Inside the 10 Star Fitness Simpsonville Project
A finished space can make branding look effortless. The graphics fit the walls. The colors work together. Signage feels like it was always meant to be there. Customers walk through the doors and experience a complete brand.
But getting to that finished result can be anything but simple.
When 10 Star Fitness prepared to open its new Simpsonville location, the goal was to transform a building still under construction into a complete branded fitness environment. Interior wall graphics and signage needed to be produced and installed before opening, while construction crews were still actively working throughout the facility.
It was exactly the kind of project that demonstrates what we've been talking about throughout More Than Print. Because sometimes the biggest challenge isn't printing the graphics. It's figuring out how to make everything work.
Starting Before the Walls Were Finished
Planning for the project began from architectural blueprints. That allowed layouts, measurements, estimates, and production planning to begin before construction was complete. But blueprints can only tell part of the story.
As walls went up and electrical and plumbing work progressed, conditions inside the building continued to change. Measurements that worked on paper had to be verified against the actual space.
That meant returning to the site, measuring again, adjusting layouts, and making sure graphics designed weeks earlier would still fit the environment being built around them.
A branded environment starts long before the first graphic goes on the wall.
The Space Determines the Solution
One of the most important parts of being a communications partner is recognizing that the same solution doesn't work for every project. A gym creates its own environmental challenges. Humidity was an important consideration at 10 Star Fitness. Traditional adhesive vinyl on standard walls presented the possibility of moisture-related adhesive failure over time. Instead, rigid polystyrene panels were selected for those areas, creating a durable graphic solution without relying on wall-mounted adhesive vinyl.
Other areas presented an entirely different challenge. Some walls consisted of exposed metal framing without solid backing. Those locations required a material rigid enough to span the open framing while remaining lightweight and capable of standing up to the demands of an active fitness environment. For those applications, 6 mm PVC was selected.
Different walls.
Different conditions.
Different materials.
One consistent brand experience.
Material decisions aren't just production decisions. They're part of designing for the environment.
Making Every Inch Count
Material selection was only one part of production planning. The rigid graphics also needed to work within standard sheet sizes. Layouts were carefully panelized to fit 4-foot by 8-foot styrene sheets while reducing unnecessary material waste. Some areas required even greater precision, including graphics installed alongside stair railings where angles had to align with the physical architecture. It's the kind of detail most visitors will never notice. And that's the point.
When environmental graphics are executed well, the audience shouldn't be thinking about sheet dimensions, panel seams, measurements, or installation angles.
They should simply experience the brand.
The details disappear when everything works.
Production Wasn't Happening in a Vacuum
At the same time Indexx was preparing and installing graphics, other trades were still completing their work. There was no permanent power in the facility. Walls were changing.
Electrical and plumbing work continued. Installers had to work around other crews while keeping the opening timeline in sight. That required more than a production schedule.
It required communication.
Installation had to be coordinated around what was happening on-site, and the team needed to adapt as construction progressed. This is where the idea of a communications partner becomes very real. It's not simply about producing what was ordered. It's about understanding how your part of the project fits into everything else that needs to happen.
From Individual Graphics to One Experience
Walk through the completed 10 Star Fitness location and you don't experience the project as a collection of individual printed panels. You experience a branded environment.
Graphics work with the architecture. Different materials work together visually.
Individual elements reinforce the same identity throughout the facility.
That's the difference between thinking about a project one piece at a time and thinking about the experience those pieces need to create together.
The Result
Despite the challenges of working within an unfinished facility, all interior graphics and signage were completed within the required timeline. The final material selections were designed to address the humidity, structural conditions, and durability needs of the fitness environment while creating a consistent branded experience throughout the new location.
But the real takeaway goes beyond this one project.
Successful communication often requires looking beyond the individual piece. It means understanding the environment. Asking the right questions. Choosing the right materials.
Planning for what could change. Coordinating with everyone involved. And staying focused on what the audience should ultimately experience.
Have a Project Taking Shape?
Whether you're opening a new location, refreshing an existing space, preparing for an event, or looking for a new way to bring your brand into the physical world, we'd love to hear what you're planning.
