24 июня 2025 г.
Business insights
Fitness
Apartment complexes
Best-in-class wellness facilities by Technogym for flex living at Downing Living Square Gardens
At Square Gardens in Manchester, Downing Living redefines city-centre renting with a data-driven wellness experience powered by Technogym’s digital ecosystem.
For over 35 years, Downing has been delivering exceptional rental experiences in city centres across the UK. Square Gardens in Manchester is the developer’s first co-living scheme, offering innovative flex living to young professionals and post-graduates. Bay Downing, Co-CEO of Downing Living, explains why digital solutions underpin the wellness offer at Square Gardens.
Square Gardens is an 830,000 sq. ft development in Manchester's First Street district, offering 1.772 apartments across two buildings. The all-inclusive flex living model streamlines city centre renting, helping graduates from Manchester’s higher education facilities put down roots in the area. The development offers spaces and experiences designed to encourage physical and social wellbeing, from curated events and co-working spaces to shared gardens, and state-of-the-art wellness facilities.
Square Gardens is an 830,000 sq. ft development in Manchester's First Street district, offering 1.772 apartments across two buildings. The all-inclusive flex living model streamlines city centre renting, helping graduates from Manchester’s higher education facilities put down roots in the area. The development offers spaces and experiences designed to encourage physical and social wellbeing, from curated events and co-working spaces to shared gardens, and state-of-the-art wellness facilities.
On-demand wellness as a cornerstone of modern rental developments
Every building in Downing Living’s portfolio features a gym, but Square Gardens is the developer’s first co-living scheme. Using extensive data from across the estate, the team worked with Technogym to install a state-of-the-art gym and fitness studios that would meet the needs of young professionals embarking on city life.
“We know that young people prioritise fitness, but it’s not enough to just give them a gym,” said Bay. “We want to offer exciting, engaging facilities and partnering with Technogym helps us differentiate our wellness offer.”
Technogym has been Downing’s wellness partner for 10 years, providing wellness insights, equipment innovation and working with on-site teams to activate each new gym. The relationship is built on shared values towards innovation and customer wellness.
“We know that young people prioritise fitness, but it’s not enough to just give them a gym,” said Bay. “We want to offer exciting, engaging facilities and partnering with Technogym helps us differentiate our wellness offer.”
Technogym has been Downing’s wellness partner for 10 years, providing wellness insights, equipment innovation and working with on-site teams to activate each new gym. The relationship is built on shared values towards innovation and customer wellness.
The size of the development gave Downing Living space and opportunity to provide a wellness offer to rival the city’s commercial gyms, adding undeniable value to the all-inclusive rental model at Square Gardens. Taking inspiration from a visit to Technogym Village in Italy where Bay saw how employees interact with the latest innovations on a daily basis, Bay and his team chose a digital-first solution for the Square Gardens wellness offer.
The choice of gym equipment for Square Gardens main fitness space was driven by detailed usage data, trend analysis, and insights from Technogym’s sector experts.
“Gym trends change quickly, so it was great to have Technogym’s input on new equipment that we don’t have at our other sites,” said Bay. “Combined with our own data on gym equipment use, we were able to curate an exciting mix of digital-rich cardio, strength, and workout class options.”
A standout example of innovation at Square Gardens gym is Technogym Visio, the interactive touchscreen display that transforms unmanned spaces into engaging fitness experiences with one-on-one training guidance. With Visio, residents can choose on-demand workouts from a wide range of Technogym content to suit their schedule, and the Square Gardens wellness team can gamify the ecosystem to drive engagement with different groups of users.
The choice of gym equipment for Square Gardens main fitness space was driven by detailed usage data, trend analysis, and insights from Technogym’s sector experts.
“Gym trends change quickly, so it was great to have Technogym’s input on new equipment that we don’t have at our other sites,” said Bay. “Combined with our own data on gym equipment use, we were able to curate an exciting mix of digital-rich cardio, strength, and workout class options.”
A standout example of innovation at Square Gardens gym is Technogym Visio, the interactive touchscreen display that transforms unmanned spaces into engaging fitness experiences with one-on-one training guidance. With Visio, residents can choose on-demand workouts from a wide range of Technogym content to suit their schedule, and the Square Gardens wellness team can gamify the ecosystem to drive engagement with different groups of users.
Harnessing data to create modern wellness spaces
The entire wellness experience is hosted on Technogym App, which allows residents to track their workout and wellness age, book workshops and classes, and scan QR codes on gym equipment for guidance. For the Downing Living team, the Technogym digital ecosystem streamlines operational efficiency and provides valuable user data which will help optimise the wellness offer as the development grows.
“We’re serious about using data to drive insights across the business,” said Bay, “and the Technogym ecosystem is an incredibly useful tool for understanding what our customers want, how they use the space, and how we can keep our offer relevant. It makes two-way communication easier and ensures decisions are data-driven.”
Square Gardens fitness spaces have come alive through a combination of Technogym's support and local partnerships including run clubs and in-person classes. The wellness timetable features regular visits from Technogym Educators to lead classes and workshops, helping residents make the most of the cutting-edge equipment and content, much of which is unique to Square Gardens.
“We’re serious about using data to drive insights across the business,” said Bay, “and the Technogym ecosystem is an incredibly useful tool for understanding what our customers want, how they use the space, and how we can keep our offer relevant. It makes two-way communication easier and ensures decisions are data-driven.”
Square Gardens fitness spaces have come alive through a combination of Technogym's support and local partnerships including run clubs and in-person classes. The wellness timetable features regular visits from Technogym Educators to lead classes and workshops, helping residents make the most of the cutting-edge equipment and content, much of which is unique to Square Gardens.
Within a few months of the gym opening, Downing Living had gathered positive feedback and an impressive MPS rating, with enthusiastic resident feedback about the quality of equipment and scope of on-demand options.
With eight sites and 5,000 beds planned over the next five years, health and wellness remains a major focus for Downing Living’s resident offers – and for their employee wellness strategy. The company’s corporate gym, which has always been equipped by Technogym equipment, now offers Visio to staff at head office. As the PBSA and Co-Living sector continues to respond to changes in consumer needs, Downing Students and Downing Living's data-driven approach to wellness amenities sets a new standard for developments that understand the needs of young professionals.
With eight sites and 5,000 beds planned over the next five years, health and wellness remains a major focus for Downing Living’s resident offers – and for their employee wellness strategy. The company’s corporate gym, which has always been equipped by Technogym equipment, now offers Visio to staff at head office. As the PBSA and Co-Living sector continues to respond to changes in consumer needs, Downing Students and Downing Living's data-driven approach to wellness amenities sets a new standard for developments that understand the needs of young professionals.
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