Demand for yoga is alive and kicking across Britain as the exercise discipline diversifies to attract a fresh generation of practitioners post-Covid.
Pioneers Genny Wilkinson and Simon Davies (students of Mysore practice for 25 and 15 years respectively) wanted to bring their love of yoga to a wider public and have created Mission -E1, arguably the most diverse and sophisticated to date.
The multi-million-pound Spitalfields site has arisen within the shell of a disused alcohol storage Victorian warehouse located in the lively East End quarter of the UK capital.
The new Misson Yoga outpost is designed to serve a broad demographic with an expansive selection of classes.
The three-storey building occupies 14,000 sq ft including a 2,000sq ft roof terrace and restaurant on the third floor with views of the city.
Wilkinson and Davies brought in contractor James Cannon – who they’ve worked on previous yoga projects with – to help them create the cutting-edge facility.
Cannon collaborated with changing room specialists Fitlockers to fashion not only a bespoke look for the men's and women's areas but also to supply much of the cafe and dining furniture and fitments.
"Genny and Simon approached me at the end of 2021," he said. "I'd worked on their earlier projects while serving as facilities manager at triyoga where Genny had been a director for some years.
"After moving on from triyoga and setting up my own business – Genny and Simon wanted to use me because I had demonstrated my expertise in buildings.
"My key role was to advise Genny on what would work in a yoga studio, by applying a knowledge of spatial awareness and how the interiors would function.”
Given the mounting importance of changing facilities in exercise and wellness provision, Cannon was careful in his choice of locker supplier.
"I had already worked with David Fitchett at Fitlockers and was searching for a specific look. They prepared lots of samples, including a fully formed locker, which really helped us," he says.
Spacious male, female and gender-neutral changing areas grace the ground floor, complete with vanity areas in the bathrooms, amply provided with showers.
The proportion of the kit bag lockers fitted across the changing areas reflects the predicted user split - six in gender neutral, 100 in men's, 140 in women's.
"We chose a beech construction plywood in natural, rustic finish which is lightly glazed for easy cleaning. Also included are shoe storage shelves and compartments, yoga mat storage units, wall-mounted table tops and benching in reception, as well as several wardrobe styles in the five studios (on both the first and second floors) and open units at the front for blankets, bolsters and blocks."
Fitlockers even manufactured and supplied shoe racks and retail display units for what is one of its most extensive, wide-ranging orders to date in the sector, demonstrating its capability to provide much more than just lockers.
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