29 Jan 2020
Third Space opens sixth club in Islington – features new Little Space kids' concept
BY Tom Walker
The Third Space has opened its sixth full-service club in Islington, London.
Located at the Islington Square retail and leisure complex in London, the £10m club covers 47,000sq ft and is the largest health club to open in London for more than 10 years.
At the heart of the club is a 7,000sq ft "arena space" for flexible training, featuring a custom-built running track, dedicated strength training area, a bespoke functional training rig and performance cardio areas with Myzone heart-rate connectivity.
The bespoke functional training rig was supplied by EXF Fitness and incorporates a unique boxing bag rail with four box bags and monkey bars. As the club is situated underground, a bespoke rig was required due to height limitations.
In the strength area, Pulse Fitness has supplied 15 stations from its H Range Strength Line, with all equipment being created in a bespoke sand black and completed with Third Space branding to reflect the sleek aesthetic of the club.
Wet areas include a six-lane, 20m swimming pool, saunas and streamrooms.
In addition, the club houses an indoor cycling amphitheatre – with unique light displays and soundtracks designed for each class.
The bikes have been organised in tiered rows to provide every rider a good view, while industrial turbines have been installed to create "headwinds".
The club's studios will offer a programme of more than 100 group classes a week, while personal training will also be a big focus.
One of the group's USPs is the hot yoga studio, which is the first in Europe to use infrared-mirrored panels to create a range of temperatures suited to each class.
There is also a lounge, designed for pre- or post-workouts, where purpose-built 'Quiet Rooms' have been equipped with guided meditation for mind and body.
As well as a premium club facilities for adults, Third Space Islington Square will incorporate The Little Space – a separate, dedicated kids’ club.
Little Space will have its own shallow training pool, sports hall, créche, dance studio, climbing area, athletic rig and restaurant. It will offer a range of exercise classes for children, as well as family play sessions and swimming lessons.
Speaking about the concept in 2018, Third Space CEO Colin Waggett said: "The Little Space is a good example of us as looking at each new market and asking: ‘What do people here really want?’
"We did 300 doorstep interviews and focus groups to make sure our concept was right.
“What we didn’t want, though, was for this to become a family club, mixing the two sides of the offering and possibly ending up with something that wasn’t the best of either world.
"This is why we’ve kept things separate: the Third Space adult experience is entirely unaffected and is still best-in-class in terms of offering a grown-up environment, and Little Space is equally free to specialise in kids’ facilities and programming.”
According to Rob Beale, fitness director for Third Space, the Islington club has its own identity – but the design is in line with the Third Space ethos of "providing the inspiration and motivation to exercise".
“When designing a new space, we have a very specific vision of how we want a club to look," says Rob Beale, Fitness Director for Third Space.
"It needs to have its own unique identity while staying in keeping with the aesthetic of the Third Space family."
Third Space recently sold its boutique studio arm Another Space to Digme Fitness. Another Space included two London sites in Covent Garden and Bank.
Close Window