Gym-Café Hybrids: Sustainable Design in Urban Architecture
Photo: Okern Portal in Oslo is Breeam Excellent certified.
Architecture is constantly evolving to meet human needs beyond just functionality. One of the emerging concepts in mixed-use design is the gym-bar hybrid – spaces that combine fitness facilities with social areas like cafés, juice bars or lounges. These environments provide more than just a workout; they promote holistic wellbeing – physical, social, and mental.
But that’s not all. Many of these projects also prioritise sustainability, with certifications such as BREEAM-NOR Excellent, showcasing measurable efforts in reducing carbon emissions, improving energy efficiency and choosing sustainable materials.
What is a gym-bar hybrid?
It’s more than sipping a smoothie after a workout. This concept integrates:
- Gyms, wellness zones or fitness studios
- Cafés, bars or lounge areas
- Warm lighting, natural materials and calming colour palettes
- Reception and seating areas designed for social interaction and recovery
The result? Spaces that promote physical activity while encouraging community building, supporting a more sustainable lifestyle – socially, mentally, and environmentally.
Project highlights: from concept to construction
Økern Portal, Oslo
A paradigm shift in sustainable urban architecture. Designed by DARK Arkitekter, LARK Landskap, and Zinc Interiør, Økern Portal is a vibrant, green destination. With Northern Europe’s largest edible rooftop park (~7,000 m²), fitness zones, restaurants, and public spaces, the building realises a vision of community wellbeing.
Key features:
- Rooftop with urban farming, running tracks, and outdoor gym
- Studio Jobbsprek: gym + treatment centre + health bar + kids’ area
- BREEAM-NOR Excellent, Energy Class A, reused aluminium, stormwater management
- Combines wellness, biodiversity and climate responsibility
1R Australia Gym / Foolscap Studio (South Yarra, Australia)
A high-end fitness studio focused on sensory experience and mental wellbeing. While not featuring a café/bar, the interior shows new directions in gym architecture.
- Architect: Foolscap Studio
- No sustainability certification reported
Het Gym / Kevin Veenhuizen Architects (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
An iconic example of social architecture in fitness design. A monolithic bar is placed at the centre of the gym, becoming a spatial anchor and social hub.
- Architects: Kevin Veenhuizen Architects (Kumiki), with Pfefferle & Steenkamp
- No documented sustainability rating
Hardio Cycling Studio / balbek bureau (Kyiv, Ukraine)
A cycling studio where the café-style reception area defines the character of the space – blending social interaction and fitness.
- Architect: balbek bureau, led by Slava Balbek
- No verified certifications
Vim & Vigor Gym / Rabih Geha Architects (Beirut, Lebanon)
Combines mint and white interiors with a wellness bar and outdoor lounge. Carefully chosen colours optimise productivity and calm.
- Architect: Rabih Geha Architects
- No available certification data
Core Collective / Waind Gohil + Potter Architects (London, UK)
A premium fitness chain designed as a social experience. Includes cafés, juice bars, restaurants, and changing light schemes based on activity.
- Architects: WG+P (Waind Gohil + Potter Architects)
- No sustainability credentials disclosed
Construction City / LINK Arkitektur (Oslo, Norway – under construction)
- Type: Commercial mixed-use building
- Gym, flexible offices, social areas
- ✅ BREEAM-NOR Excellent certified
- Focus on energy efficiency, material reuse, and sustainable transport
- Designed for integrated wellness in the workday
Mjøstårnet / Voll Arkitekter (Brumunddal, Norway)
- Mjøstårnet, completed in March 2019 in Brumunddal, Norway, stands at 85.4 m (18 stories) and was officially recognized by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) as the world’s tallest all‑timber building at the time Built using low-emission mass timber
- Includes pool and integrated wellness areas
- No official sustainability certification, but a clear eco-vision
Summary: architectural wellbeing with environmental awareness
| Project | Wellbeing features | Sustainability rating | Notes |
| Økern Portal (Oslo) | Gym, rooftop park, urban farming | ✅ BREEAM-NOR Excellent | Model of green, inclusive development |
| Construction City (Oslo) | Gym, social zones | ✅ BREEAM-NOR Excellent | Planned as future-ready wellness hub |
| Hardio Studio (Kyiv) | Boutique cycling studio + café | ❌ Not certified | Blends function and social design |
| Vim & Vigor Gym (Beirut) | Lounge, wellness bar | ❌ Not certified | Emphasis on sensory experience |
| Mjøstårnet (Brumunddal) | Pool, restaurant | ❌ Not certified | Climate-friendly timber architecture |
| 1R Australia (Melbourne) | Mindful fitness interior | ❌ Not certified | Sensorial design for wellbeing |
| Het Gym (Amsterdam) | Social bar as centrepiece | ❌ Not certified | Social architecture approach |
| Core Collective (London) | Juice bar, lounge, café | ❌ Not certified | High-end wellness design |
| Frekhaug Torg (Alver) | Potential mixed-use wellness space | ❌ Not certified | Future development potential |
| Heimdalsporten (Trondheim) | Sustainable modular housing | ❌ Not certified | Not gym-focused, but eco-conscious |
The architectural shift towards holistic wellbeing
Architecture in the 21st century is no longer just about form and function – it’s about emotion and the future. The gym-bar hybrid is more than an interior design trend; it’s a symbol of how architecture can support both individual wellbeing and planetary health.
These projects prove it’s possible to merge health, social interaction, and sustainability into one cohesive, purposeful design.
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