Melbourne tower kicks car park for wellness centre

Operated by former Olympian Steph Prem, the new RISE by Studio PP will deliver what it claims is a “a 360-degree approach to fitness” as part of a deal clinched with the building manager, global real estate firm AXA.

The iconic building is home to upmarket tenants ranging from investment banks Goldman Sachs and Credit Suisse to private equity firms TPG Capital and BHG Capital and lawyers such as Gilbert + Tobin and Herbert Smith Freehills.

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Its 4200 workers will, by about the end of October, have exclusive access to RISE facilities on level five of the building — reclaiming an area that once housed close to 50 car parks — including what AXA claims will be Australia’s first onsite fitness, health and wellbeing facility incorporating two large studios holding at least 40 classes per week and three consulting rooms.

One studio will offer yoga and pilates classes and the other will function more as a high-intensity fitness studio, with disciplines such as boxing, TRX strength training, HIIT (high intensity interval training), barre, hot yoga, mindfulness and pilates held across both, alongside services such as physiotherapy, osteopathy, remedial massage and nutritional advice. AXA Real Assets head of funds management Brett Dillon says the service is the first of its type in Australia, where the trend of offering higher class facilities is emerging.

“By delivering this market-leading facility we are helping our tenants remain at the forefront of workplace health and wellness,” Dillon says.

“It’s a benefit to their employees and hopefully, their bottom line through lower absenteeism and improved staff retention. There has been a trend over the past few years in reduction for parking and you’ll find a lot of buildings around a town have a bit of vacancy in that regard. The trend providing end-of-trip and wellness facilities is compelling.”

AXA last year installed what it terms as a new “end-of-trip” or five-star high-end hotel bathroom and change room facilities at 101 Collins, splitting access for bike riders to the building from cars entering the facility.

Dillon says the move resulted in a 225% increase in the use of the new facility, which also offers a luxury towel service, and drying, ironing and grooming stations with hair dryers and hair straighteners, compared with previous changing space.

Prem says the partnership “comes at a pivotal moment in the evolution of corporate health and wellbeing in Australia. Corporate Australia are working longer hours and juggling with greater levels of stress and mental health issues than ever before”.

Dillon says his company would like to roll out similar amenities at its other offices in the future, having also installed rooftop basketball and tennis courts and a large vegetable garden area at QV1 in Perth.

“You’ve got tenants who work hard, and it’s important to have the opportunity while they are at work to have a break and de-stress and take advantage of the amenities on offer.”

This article originally appeared on www.theaustralian.com.au/property.