Fusion Nottingham: Gym, Basketball Court, Zen Room & Outdoor Gym (PBSA)
Biofit partnered with Fusion Students to design a suite of wellbeing amenities for Fusion Nottingham (King Edward Court, Nottingham)—including an indoor gym, indoor basketball/activity court, a restorative zen room / recharge room, and an external active area. The objective was to deliver a robust, self-serve amenity offer designed for high-frequency student use, aligned with the ground floor communal facilities generally and suitable for operational day-to-day performance.
The ground-floor gym in Nottingham with a turf track, cardio machines, squat rack and stainless steel dumbbell set..
Image credit: Fusion Nottingham official photograph.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Biofit team: Matt Morley (Project Director / Lead Wellness Consultant) and Polly Andrews (Interior Designer).
Programme: design delivery across 2023–2024; fit-out completed late 2025; scheme operational.
Project snapshot
Client / Operator: Fusion Students KECN
PBSA scale: 552 beds; c. 900m² total ground floor amenity provision
Spaces designed by us:
Gym & Wellness Suite: 77m²
Basketball / Activity Court: 60m²
External Active Area: 64m²
All photo credits: Fusion Nottingham
Brief and objectives
Fusion’s brief set a clear direction: the amenity suite needed to be unmanned, robust, flexible, and highly marketable, supporting both physical fitness and restorative wellbeing, with durability appropriate to PBSA operations and a design language aligned to the broader building interiors.
Biofit’s scope covered concept through technical delivery, including interior design, equipment specification, coordination, and construction-stage support (including value engineering where required).
Zoning and operational logic
In a student living context, the planning challenge is to accommodate high-energy and low-energy uses within a coherent, easily understood journey—without staffing.
Biofit’s zoning strategy separated:
High-energy training (gym + court) where activity, noise and durability demands are highest; and
Low-energy restoration (zen room / wellness) to protect calm, acoustic comfort, and perceived quality.
The general arrangement documentation also established capacity assumptions for safe, shared use (e.g., gym, court, wellness studio and outdoor zone) as part of the operational logic.
GYM & WELLNESS DESIGN CONSULTANT SERVICES
A boutique-size indoor basketball court with a natural materials palette to bring the outside world in through subtle visual cues.
Image credit: Fusion official photograph.
Scope Of WorkInitial zoning and concept development
Space planning and circulation design
Equipment programme, quantities and layout coordination
Interior design intent and finish direction
Detailed design information for technical delivery by local contractors onsite
nottingham was our first assignment for fusion students and the brief was clear from the very start - USE biophilic design principles to connect the interiors with the nearby forest– Matt Aspiotis Morley
Gym design: performance-led equipment and premium detailing
The gym equipment specification was intentionally “boutique” in feel, combining connected cardio with robust, high-quality strength equipment and functional accessories.
Freemotion and Woodway cardio machines alongside the Watson steel dumbbell rack
Image credit: Fusion official photograph.
Cardio ZoneFreemotion connected cardio including treadmills and bikes (Coachbike), plus an elliptical
Woodway Curve manual treadmill
NOHrD oak WaterRower
Strength and functional training zoneWatson strength pieces and custom finishes (including dumbbell rack and benches)
Bulldog Gear bumper plates, barbells and functional accessories (mats, suspension trainer, soft plyo box, collars)
NordicTrack / iFit “Vault” fitness mirror to support digital training content
This equipment programme supports a broad resident spectrum—from beginner to experienced—while presenting a clear “premium amenity” narrative for marketing and leasing.
Indoor basketball / activity court: multi-use energy and social fitness
The activity court was designed as an energetic, social anchor—supporting basketball as well as complementary movement uses and accessories.
The equipment schedule includes:
Continental basketball goal with hydraulic height adjustment and associated line-marking scope
Support items including basketballs, and supplementary fitness elements (e.g., wall bars)
A heavy punching bag and accessories (positioned as a high-impact, youth-oriented training option within the activity environment)
Zen / recharge room: restorative space design for student wellbeing
The zen room was developed as a dedicated restorative environment, explicitly aligned with a “restorative space” intent (referencing WELL’s Mind restorative space concept as a guiding framework). Note: Biofit’s Matt Morley is a 2026 Advisor on the MIND chapter of this healthy building standard.
To reinforce low-stimulus comfort and repeat usage, the specification included:
Meditation cushions and zabutons (8 sets)
A biophilia layer via a curated indoor planting set
This creates a meaningful counterpoint to high-energy training and supports broader wellbeing and mental health narratives within PBSA.
A wall-mounted screen allows users to stream their own holistic content such as guided meditations.
The wooden bench shown in this photo was custom made by our friends at ethical carpentry outfit Goldfinger in London.
INTERIOR Materials and finishes strategy: robust, acoustic-aware, and visually warm
Biofit’s interior direction was designed to feel premium and coherent with Fusion York’’s other ground-floor communal spaces (designed by Neka Studio), while still being hard-wearing and easy to maintain.
Example Material Specifications:
Acoustic + resilient sports flooring (Ecore systems with 12mm acoustic underlay specified in multiple locations) Mogu FLEX 25 resilient flooring (biobased/acoustic positioning) for selected zones Interface carpet tiles cut to form a defined circular zone (4750mm diameter circle), supporting visual zoning and softness underfoot where appropriate WoodUpp Akupanel oak acoustic wall panelling to improve sound absorption and perceived comfort Clayworks natural clay plaster as a tactile, calm finish (with A1 classification noted) Continental sports hall impact panelling for durability in the activity court environment Curtain specifications (gym + studio) using fire-retardant fabrics and track systems to support zoning/privacy and soften acoustics
Technical DESIGN delivery and coordination
Biofit’s role extended beyond concept visuals into technical delivery—coordinating equipment footprints, servicing assumptions, durability detailing, and buildability. The project scope documents explicitly include coordination, technical design, and construction-stage support requirements as part of the appointed leisure designer role.
fusion students NOTTINGHAM leisure spaces
Fusion Students Nottingham promotional video including gym, zen room and basketball court design by Biofit
FAQs
5
What is a PBSA scheme?
1
PBSA stands for Purpose-Built Student Accommodation. It refers to student housing that is specifically designed and constructed for students, rather than converted from another use (such as standard apartments or hotels). PBSA schemes typically combine private bedrooms/studios with shared amenities such as study spaces, social lounges, and wellbeing facilities—helping operators differentiate their offer and improve resident experience.
What wellbeing amenities did Biofit design at Fusion Nottingham?
2
How do you design an unmanned PBSA gym to be operationally robust?
Biofit designed a package of leisure and wellbeing spaces including a gym, indoor basketball/activity court, a zen/recharge room, and an outdoor gym/external active area.
Why include a zen or recharge room in student accommodation?
3
Recharge rooms provide a low-stimulus environment for calm, recovery and mindfulness—balancing high-energy amenities and strengthening the overall wellbeing proposition.
What equipment brands were specified for the Fusion Nottingham gym?
4
The specification included connected cardio and boutique strength brands such as Freemotion, Woodway, WaterRower/NOHrD, Watson and Bulldog Gear
Priorities include clear zoning, durable finishes, good storage, safe circulation, acoustic consideration, and coordinated power/data to avoid trailing cables and ad hoc fixes over time.
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