At New Orleans’ premier boutique hotel, design is imbued with local distinction, and the Fitness Center is no exception. As part of its 2007 renovation, the International House Fitness Center was revamped -- and enhanced by a translucent cast glass installation by renowned glass artist, Mitchell Gaudet, a New Orleans native.   Eight 12” x 12” glass tiles cast at Gaudet’s Studio Inferno are mounted on a stainless steel pulley system, the material and mechanics of which closely mirror the center’s weight-lifting machines. Each tile is imprinted with the face of a student at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA, the internationally prominent institute which has seeded the world’s performance halls with such luminous entertainers as Wynton Marsalis and Harry Connick, Jr.,) expressing mild euphoria, a mood that in turn mirrors and motivates the psychological lift and the endorphin boost associated with athletic activity. The presence of the human face on the glass tiles is also intended to create an atmosphere of community and connectedness, a comfortable sense of belonging for the far-from-home guest.

The Fitness Center is equipped with a Precor elliptical trainer, a Precor treadmill, a Cybex chest press, a Nautilus abdominal machine, a Concept 2 rowing machine, two Schwinn IC Elite spinning bikes, a Cybex lateral pull, and a vintage brown leather punching bag by Boxitalia.

In a fascinating historical coincidence, Studio Inferno at 3000 Royal Street boasts a close link to athletic prowess: it occupies the site of the former Olympic Club, an elegant athletic club that in September 1892 hosted one of the most legendary boxing matches in American pugilistic lore. In that fight, ten-year reigning champion John L. Sullivan was defeated by relative newcomer James Corbett after 21 rounds of fighting. Today, this Bywater neighborhood retains its Irish and Italian roots and is evolving into New Orleans’ most creative enclave, home to a vibrant artisan community. The legacy of the Olympic Club and its host of colorful sporting characters find 21st-century expression at International House through Mitchell Gaudet’s artistry -- as well as the ultimate Boxitalia heavy bag.