A facility billed as “the largest bouldering gym in the world” has opened in Austin, Texas after two years of construction.

The 50,000sq ft (4,650sq m) facility, called the Austin Bouldering Project, was designed by Dylan Johnson of DJA Architects, with interiors created by local studio Lilianne Steckel and realised by general contractor LaBelle Construction. The developer was Texan company 3423 Holdings.

The gym features 23,000sq ft (2,100sq m) of climbable surfaces, with layouts that can be configured into 250 different setups. The design includes a wide variety in the sizes and shapes of wooden climbing walls available, and these are rotated on a regular basis.

The development is part of a larger 200,000sq ft (18,580sq m) building that is being redeveloped into a community destination with restaurants, breweries, a 5,400sq ft (501sq m) fitness centre and a yoga studio.

“The feeling of being in a boulder field outside was a huge inspiration to our design,” general manager Zach Olschwanger told CLAD. “We wanted a really open layout with a flow that directed you around the entire facility, never getting cut off by a wall.

“We tried to push the boundaries with everything. Climbing is the backbone of our business, specifically bouldering, so we designed our climbing walls differently than almost every other climbing gym. The community response has been incredibly supportive and exciting.”

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