Above the Tide

Occupying the uppermost floors of No 2 Upper Riverside, the second block in this new five-tower neighbourhood, Renew isn’t just one of the more impressive spots for fitness and relaxation in the capital; it also has one of the best views across London’s skyline. There are two state-of-the art gymnasiums, a steam room, a hot tub, a swimming pool and a splendid terrace for open-air exercise, meditation and perhaps a bit of socialising. You can get fit here, of course, but the gym, pool, spa and terrace have really been designed with the residents’ ultimate sense of wellbeing as their guiding principle.

Simply from an aesthetic perspective, it’s hard not to feel a little bit better about yourself after looking down from Renew’s vantage point. There’s the soft sheen of the O2 dome; London’s one and only IFS cable car, running through the foreground’s upper reaches; London’s high-rise buildings prick the horizon; down below, the River Thames; and of course, the latest landmark, The Tide, the new five-kilometre elevated garden walkway inspired by New York’s High Line, which offers both visitors and residents another chance to raise their heart rate. From walking, running, meditating, cycling and picnicking, The Tide allows for a temporary escape from the city, and a dive into nature – and art: there’s plenty of world-class public sculptures along the linear park, as well as a tasty trail of eclectic cafés, bars and restaurants for anyone looking for a post-sprint treat.

Kent Jackson, design director at Skidmore Owings & Merrill (SOM), the architects behind Upper Riverside, understands that in a place like the Peninsula, the only way is up. “Building tall is the best way to make the most of the amazing views, and to really take advantage of the air, the feeling of space and the light,” he explains. “It’s a very different offer from what I think you might see in the rest of London, where things might be a bit more tightly packed, where building tends to focus more on efficiencies rather than the experience of the people who live there.”

British designer Tom Dixon, OBE, who oversaw Renew, adopts the same lifestyle-led approach. His designs embrace the panorama throughout, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows, encouraging the visitor’s eye to wander outwards. Portholes in the pool area recall the area’s maritime past, while the stepped structure on the ceiling, walls and floors work symbiotically with the buildings’ emblematic stepped design, creating a sense of terraced, multi-levelled space, to suggest the ebb and flow of the river, below. Despite this being a place to unwind, Renew’s materials evoke the peninsula’s hard-grafting past, as well as Dixon’s lifelong passion for local industry. Look out for the passivated metal reception desk – a kind of anti-corrosion treatment more commonly seen in factory components – that makes for an impressive entrance. It might seem like a small point, but this dip into the area's past is very important to the acclaimed designer. “Even when I was a boy,” Dixon comments, “I used to jump on the motorbike and drive to Greenwich to get things cast and machined, because that whole part of south London remained a good place for getting things made – and I still do that now.”

In contrast to this industrial look, the use of warm woods and textured stone surfaces bring a more contemporary aesthetic to the place, as well as a sense of calm, which extends to the outdoor terrace embedded with plants, sun decks and couches.

This is intentional, says Dixon. “With a growing emphasis on wellness, I wanted to create a space that would enhance residents’ day-to-day lifestyle and motivate them to achieve their goals and feel their best,” he explains. “Renew is a relaxed space where residents can meet like-minded people, creating a wellness community within the neighbourhood.”

Motiv8, the fitness company that serves the space, explains that residents can expect all manner of classes, personal training and other resident-tailored services to fill up their timetables, including the best morning treat to wake up to – yoga classes on the terrace.

“We see Greenwich Peninsula as an active and sociable community, so it was important that we thought about residents’ lifestyles with the Renew floor,” says Richard Margree, CEO of Knight Dragon, Greenwich Peninsula’s developer. “We believe we have created an exceptional wellness club for them to enjoy.” He describes Dixon’s Renew as “visionary in the way that residents’ wellbeing acts as a binding principle; bringing them outside of their home and into a space where they can relax and ‘renew’ themselves together.”

So, don’t worry too much about reps or BMI, or for how long you can hold the plank or the crab. Renew is really a treat for all senses, a haven for the ambitious, and a space to feel inspired, with a panorama that is hard to beat.

It also forms part of the wider Upper Riverside Club exclusive to residents, which provides exceptional amenities such as cinemas, roof terraces, and event spaces. The complex promises to redefine urban living and turn the neighbourhood into a major waterfront destination.

For more information on Greenwich Peninsula's newest district, click here.