Facility: New Orleans Boulder Lounge, New Orleans, LA
Futurist Services: Wall & Facility Design, Custom Bouldering Flooring System
Open since: July 2015
Q: Describe what is unique about your particular climbing gym’s business model and services.
A: The most unique thing about our business model is that it’s as much community space as it is climbing gym, and you don’t have to be a climber to come in and appreciate the space. The physical layout and business operations were designed to create a social, intimate setting where anyone would feel welcome. The lounge aspect of the business was included for this reason; NOBL is a place to be active but also a place to relax and unwind.
Q: Share what is unique about the building that you have chosen as the home for your business?
A: The building we’re in was built between 1880-1890 and is full of character. It was important to us to build a New Orleans climbing gym, not just a climbing gym in New Orleans, and the building is a big part of that. It’s got so much history to it and the feel inside as well as the views from in and around the building are a constant reminder of where you are.
Q: What inspired your climbing gym design (other gyms, art, architecture, rock, etc.)?
A: From a climbing standpoint, we were inspired by the walls being built in Europe that feature cleaner lines and bolder colors. From there, we took inspiration directly from the city of New Orleans. The tropical colors we chose for our walls and brand were taken from the houses we see every day while riding our bikes around the city. Even the boards we used for our front desk and furniture come straight out of the shotgun houses in our neighborhoods. The clean lines of the walls are a direct contrast to the not-so-straight cedar beams and crumbling brick in our 125 year-old warehouse.
Q: How do you view your climbing wall design as an attribute to your brand?
A: The layout and design were done with the social aspect of the business in mind. The walls were done in an “amphitheatre” style, with climbing surrounding the social space and a viewing area from the entrance and lounge. We made sure to create some separation between beginner and more difficult areas of the gym, but also wanted to create flow between those areas so as not to draw any barriers. The slab wall is for beginners but can also feature harder, technique heavy routes and the cave section still keeps some vertical space on the sides so that less experienced climbers can enjoy that area as well. The topout boulder is probably the place where design and brand come together the most. We’ll be putting a small lounge space up there as well so that we continue to combine climbing and relaxation.
Q: Which climbing wall supplier built your walls?
A: Leading Edge was the clear choice of supplier for our walls. Corey is extremely professional in his work but also provides a personal relationship that makes the process more efficient and more enjoyable. He was able and willing to get on the phone with us any time we needed him to discuss any and all questions we had. One might think this would be the standard in the industry but the compartmentalized nature of larger wall builders can make it extremely difficult to get answers and responses. We really liked the fact that he gives 100% focus to each project that he works on and specializes in smaller gyms like ours.
Q: From a design perspective, which other commercial climbing gyms are your favorites / Why?
A: One gym that we took inspiration from aesthetically was Climb SoIll in St. Louis. Our project was similar in that we were also building out a climbing gym in a very old and character-rich building. We loved the contrast of old and new that they were able to achieve and wanted to accomplish the same thing. The other gym that inspired us a lot was another small community bouldering gym, Performance Rock in Tel Aviv, Israel. I (Eli) climbed there while living in Tel Aviv and was very impressed by their ability to use space efficiently and create a welcoming social space.
Q: Would you engage Futurist Climbing Consultants for any future projects / Why?
A: We would absolutely engage Futurist in future projects. Timy and Ernest paid very close attention to what we wanted to accomplish in the space and did a great job of translating that into the design. Their passion for design is inspiring and professionally honed. Changes to our design were implemented immediately and revision was constantly encouraged. Our entire build process was streamlined by Timy’s relationship with Leading Edge climbing.
