The Arches Gym – Leeds

Bowman Riley supported the delivery of Unit 9 at The Arches working closely with contractor Lodestone to bring forward Phase One of the commercial and public realm development beneath the historic Junction Viaduct in Leeds.

The scheme forms part of the wider £105 million Monk Bridge Viaduct regeneration, which is transforming the Victorian-era listed railway arches into a vibrant new destination for leisure, workspace and community use.

Unit 9 delivers a new two-storey local residents’ gym carefully inserted within the constrained geometry of the existing stone archways. Significant site challenges were overcome through close coordination to resolve buildability and technical details ahead of construction, enabling delivery within an exceptionally tight structural envelope beneath the viaduct.

The design combines a lightweight steel frame with metal cladding and curtain walling, sitting sensitively within the historic fabric while expressing a contemporary identity. A key challenge was the curved roof, installed within just half a metre of clearance, requiring precise coordination between design, fabrication and construction teams.

Despite the constraints, the scheme successfully maximises the potential of a previously underutilised urban space, delivering a high-quality community facility in a highly distinctive setting. Triple-glazed glazing elements improve thermal performance and acoustic comfort within the active rail corridor environment, while also supporting long-term operational efficiency. The result is a carefully engineered, place-responsive gym that demonstrates how complex infrastructure spaces can be reimagined for public use.

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