Gymbox St Martins Lane

Opened in November 2006, Gymbox is located in the site of the former Lumiere Cinema on St Martin's Lane, London. The cinema was in operation from 12 October 1967 to 1986, and became known as one of London's leading arthouse cinemas. The site offered an exciting challenge in terms of retaining the building's cinematic past, while at the same time introducing the elements that would allow it to function as a gym. The aim was to create a stimulating and bold environment that avoided the clichés of a fitness market saturated with aspirational, 'white-box' spaces. Key to the scheme was the retention of the auditorium's single volume in creating a dramatic double height space in which sculptural forms could be displayed.