Tuesday, 26 May 2026
As the Romanian retail and mixed-use market transitions toward a focus on consumer experience, fitness facilities have moved from being peripheral amenities to central anchors of development strategy. Matei Filipidescu, CEO of World Class, highlights this shift, noting that World Class is no longer just a tenant but a core attraction that can “maximize the sale prices” for developers.
A primary driver for this inclusion is the concept of the “third space”—a destination between home and the office where people spend significant portions of their day. Unlike traditional retail, which faces pressure from e-commerce, fitness requires a physical presence. Filipidescu explains: “You may be able to buy online (…) but you cannot swim online, you cannot lift heavy weights online. And a properly located, visible and accessible gym or fitness center (…) ensures not three, four times once a week in traffic, but three, four times a week traffic”.
The synergy within mixed-use environments is particularly beneficial for fitness operators because it ensures a constant flow of users. While single-use buildings might only see traffic during specific hours, mixed-use projects provide a balanced ecosystem: “We have a gym here in the hotel. And that’s very well performing, because actually this is sort of a mix, right? You have the hotel, you have the shopping area, you have the restaurants, you have some office buildings. (…) In the morning you have the office. At noon you have either office or guys. In the afternoon you have the residents. So, throughout the day you have traffic in the gym.”
The scale and sophistication of these facilities are also increasing. For example, the extension of the Promenada Mall will feature a 4,000-square-meter World Class flagship store. This landmark project includes a semi-Olympic swimming pool and a fully integrated program ranging from kids’ activities to longevity services.
Ultimately, the inclusion of World Class in mixed-use projects is part of a broader mission to improve public health in a market where only 6% of the population currently uses a gym. Filipidescu concludes that the goal is to “reposition World Class as a provider of wellness and longevity services integrated,” stating: “the idea with longevity, for instance, and doing sports and prevention is not that you live longer, but you live better”.
