Playing on the nostalgia for Ivy League-coded preppiness, these athletic spaces veer sharply away from the sleek aesthetic long favoured by fitness chains.
The Gleneagles Sporting Club has transformed into a retro, luxurious sports facility with ample courts, equestrian stables and a courtside lounge space.
When the five-star Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland set out to design a fitness centre that would appeal to its next generation of guests, its designers didn’t look to the future. Instead, they turned to the past – specifically, a Slim Aarons photograph titled Tennis in the Bahamas, 1957.
The result is the Gleneagles Sporting Club: a retro, luxurious sports facility with ample courts, equestrian stables and a courtside lounge space.
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Original URL: https://www.afr.com/companies/healthcare-and-fitness/why-upmarket-gyms-are-taking-on-country-club-vibes-20250107-p5l2o4
