In Western Sydney, a new kind of fitness space has arrived. This isn’t just about reps or recovery though. It’s about raising the bar: for design, for wellness, for what people should expect in their own neighbourhood.
We’re entering a new era of health and wellness: one where aesthetics, experience and accessibility matter as much as performance.
Across the globe, the old idea of fitness is being redesigned. The Future Laboratory calls it “whole-system wellness”: a shift from siloed self-care into environments that are deeply considered, culturally fluent, and rooted in how people actually live. These spaces aren’t just for breaking a sweat, they’re for slowing down, reconnecting, and reshaping our relationship with health altogether.
At Mason & Main our Merrylands neighbourhood, Nation is helping lead that shift, with something big on design, built for community, and redefining what wellness looks like for our residents.
INSIDE ONE PLAYGROUND MERRYLANDS
At Mason & Main in Merrylands, our newest partner One Playground has opened the doors to something extraordinary. A gym, yes — but not as you know it. With 3,000 square metres of sculptural space across two levels, One Playground Merrylands blends high-performance infrastructure with cinematic design, creating a place that feels more like a wellness resort than a local fitness club.
They call it The Mirage, and the name fits. The light here hits different: bending across soft, rendered walls in desert tones, catching on polished microcement, drifting through cathedral-like arches. It’s giving both prestige sci-fi film and Middle Eastern luxury, transporting you through design to another world, but one where you can lift, stretch, recover and realign.
Inside, the detail runs deep. There are six dedicated group studios — including two for Reformer Pilates — a 1,500sqm gym floor with Technogym cardio and custom Gym80 gear, infrared saunas, private recovery suites, luxe hotel-style change rooms, and a crèche on-site for families. The offering is both elite and inviting, built for first-timers and full-timers alike. And when the session ends, the rhythm continues. Downstairs, IFTAR is serving protein shakes, matcha and good energy.
“This is our best project to date,” says One Playground CEO Justin Ashley, a big call, but one that tracks. The vision, the scale, and the location all combine to make this more than a gym. It’s a cultural statement, delivered with precision.
But don't just take it from us. All over social media, the feedback has been loud — and glowing. From fitness creators to local members, the response to One Playground Merrylands has been near-universal: this place is on another level. Here’s what just a few people are saying saying:
“Western Sydney just levelled up ... The new gym in Merrylands isn’t your average gym. Think Dune experience, serious gear, reformer pilates, saunas, and hi-tech space to actually workout. All under one roof. No fluff. Just really solid fitness done right.”
— @paulpayasalad
“You’ve never seen a gym like this in Western Sydney. It’s giving serious Dubai luxury vibes… marble finishes, warm terracotta tones, and six epic studios under one roof.”
— @twolattesonesugar
“A gym and wellness experience like no other in Western Sydney.”
— @itsaddieslife
“10/10 for aesthetics.”
— @kaylaaeather
INSIDE ONE PLAYGROUND MERRYLANDS
This isn’t just a local win. It is part of a broader shift in how cities evolve. Wellness, design and daily life are no longer separate ideas. They’re becoming one system. What used to be a luxury is fast becoming the baseline. And neighbourhoods like Merrylands are not playing catch-up. They’re helping shape what comes next.
One Playground Merrylands is part of that change. A clear signal that the future doesn’t only belong to capital cities or global high streets. It is emerging in suburbs, precincts and places that were once left out of the conversation.
You can feel it here. In the quality of the space. In the ambition of the offering. In the everyday normality of something that, not long ago, felt out of reach. This isn’t a one-off. It is a shift. And it’s already happening.
The vision is global. The lift is local.