A new gym on the block has opened in Shoreditch. The second instalment of the Clapton-based ‘award-winning fitness meets art, design and fashion’ boutique BLOK, founded by Reema Stanbury, Ed Stanbury and fashion photographer Max Oppenheim, is located on the corner of Norman Foster’s Principal Place. It’s part of a larger redevelopment plan to bridge the City and Shoreditch, that will also house Amazon’s new headquarters.
BLOK Shoreditch is designed by Daytrip Studio (Iwan Halstead and Emily Potter) and lighting design studio There’s Light. The latter have made the whole space feel like one, long corridor animated by light, colour and reflections, which mingle with the smell of coffee and Malin & Goetz bespoke products, alongside photography by Oppenheim and installations by Ben Cullen Williams.
The café at BLOK, Shoreditch
The complex also features a café bathed in natural light and a small shop. Beyond, an industrial floating staircase leads you up to the studios. The designers have used a combination of materials (concrete, glass, steal, wood and fabric) to create contrasts between hard and soft surfaces, light and shadow; illustrating the divide between the hectic London urban environment and the relaxing energy of the practice rooms.
Apart from great coffee, the café offers a menu of smoothies, protein boosters and a choice of nutrient-dense, plant-based grab-and-go pots, curated by Essence Cuisine.
Signature workouts include the BLOK take on boxercise
The studios offer a wide range of classes, including a variety of yoga styles and pilates, to boxing and signature workouts (like BLOKFIT, BLOKFLEX, BLOCKORE) deisgned to ‘push you to your limits’. We tried Lila’s Power Yoga and the teacher carefully choreographed an intense, flowing sequence with clear instructions and experienced, insightful adjustments.
Friendly, lively and fun, the BLOK brothers have built a strong and unique brand, aiming to promote the social, artistic and cultural aspects of east London’s fitness scene.
The complex is designed by Daytrip Studio (Iwan Halstead and Emily Potter) and lighting design studio There’s Light
A long corridor is animated by light, reflections and colour, alongside photography by Oppenheim and installations by Ben Cullen Williams
The designers make use of a combination of materials (concrete, glass, steal, wood and fabric) to create contrasts between hard and soft surfaces, light and shadow
The studios offer a wide range of classes, with a variety of yoga styles and pilates, to boxing and signature workouts
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the BLOK website
ADDRESS
2 Hearn Street
London, EC2A 3BR
-
Nela is London's new stage for open-fire gastronomyA beloved Amsterdam import brings live-fire elegance to The Whiteley’s grand revival
-
How we host: with Our Place founder, Shiza ShahidWelcome, come on in, and take a seat at Wallpaper*s new series 'How we host' where we dissect the art of entertaining. Here, we speak to Our Place founder Shiza Shahid on what makes the perfect dinner party, from sourcing food in to perfecting the guest list, and yes, Michelle Obama is invited
-
Matteo Thun carves a masterful thermal retreat into the Canadian RockiesBasin Glacial Waters, a project two decades in the making, finally surfaces at Lake Louise, blurring the boundaries between architecture and terrain
-
Let them eat cake (and drink cocktails) as Manolo Blahnik and The Berkeley unveil a new menu fit for a queenThe hotelier and renowned designer has teamed up on an exclusive cake and cocktail menu to celebrate the V&A’s landmark exhibition ‘Marie Antionette Style'
-
The artistry of Japanese wineFine wine from Japan may not yet register highly on the radars of most oenophiles, but for those who know, it's a hugely rewarding and rich tapestry of flavour. Drinks expert, Neil Ridley visits London's Luna Omakase for the launch of a new dedicated Japanese wine pairing menu
-
From The Fat Badger to The Bull, how Public House is redefining the British pubInside the design-driven food group putting provenance, craft and community back at the heart of pub culture
-
Guests dined on Bangladeshi-inspired cuisine at the Serpentine Summer Party 2025The party marked the 25th anniversary of the Serpentine Architecture Pavilion – and celebrated this year’s design by Bangladeshi architect Marina Tabassum and her Dhaka-based firm
-
Rémy Martin and Anish Kapoor: art meets cognac in LondonThe cognac house and the artist unveiled a limited-edition XO decanter and a new sculpture in London at a recent event at the Institute of Contemporary Arts
-
Mark your calendars for Mount Street Neighbourhood Summer Festival, a feast for the sensesThe event, 12-14 June 2025, showcases the mix of food, art and community in the heart of London’s Mayfair. Here's what to expect, from afternoon tea to aperitivo, film screenings to biodynamic flowers
-
Healthy chocolate? Eat it at Makers, London’s new Lebanese chocolatierLocated in Chelsea, Makers is a new ‘healthy chocolate’ shop offering treats free of refined sugar, seed oils, wheat and dairy – and it tastes delicious
-
Inside Domaine Evremond, the UK’s first subterranean winery‘Sparkling wine should be fun.’ We tour Domaine Evremond in Kent, a winery steeped in the English countryside
