Working out has long since faded from simply picking up a pair of weights—it has been revolutionized into an all-encompassing lifestyle. 

That lifestyle has been pioneered by people like David Barton, a revolutionary behind the modern luxury gym concept. Barton’s latest venture, U, takes a scientific approach to health and training, catering to the urban sophisticate seeking serious results. Transcending from the gym-as-a-nightclub aesthetic that he is known for, Barton transformed the 35,000 sq ft legendary space, previously the Chelsea YMCA, into a fitness utopia inspired by the film Metropolis.

“The first gym I ever walked into was in a basement,” explains Barton. “I was 11 years old, and I saw the neighborhood cops working out next to local gangsters—it was a world unto itself.” Recreating that enthralling atmosphere has been Barton’s driving force throughout his career. “When I get it right it’s like walking into the right place at the right time. A unique alchemy of grit, sweat, and a hint of glamour. Beautiful . . . and brutal.”

Collaborating with renowned architects Charles Renfro and Stephen Alton, as well as creative collaborators Peter Brescia, Rose Wood, and the award-winning lighting design firm Focus Lighting, the team used inspiration from movies such as Metropolis, Lady from Shanghai, and Barry Lyndon to create the futuristic aesthetic of the fitness space. 

Spanning 35,000 sq ft, the gym has three floors, with the first floor dedicated to cardio machines and a stretch area, and the lower level focused on weight and strength training. U also incorporates innovative technologies like ARX adaptive resistance equipment and the Neubie electro-muscular stimulation device. Personal training, performance-enhancing options, and epigenetic diagnostics are available to help members achieve their fitness goals.

“It’s the future,” states Barton. “Precision Health Alliance takes the fat out of the whole process. It is the connective tissue and the missing link that I’ve been looking for my whole career. And Neubie is quite simply rocket fuel for the workout. It can render what was typically an hour-long process into a 10-minute body-changing session.”

Developed in collaboration with Bill Gilroy from Employees Only, U features a cafe playfully called the Mush Room, the cafe serves nutrient-dense and delicious foods that support a healthy lifestyle and all fitness goals. Working with local partners, Mush Room offers exclusive foraged edibles made from wild and cultivated mushrooms that rotate seasonally.

From health, wellness, and fitness, the lifestyle at U is a gym shaped as a place that aims to foster comfort, energy, and motivation. 

As David Barton explains,  “Every gym becomes the sum total of the people who show up. It’s possible to lay the groundwork, but ultimately the atmospheric tone is baked in by the members themselves. And while I am biased, I do believe that my members are just a little bit cooler than those that other gyms.”

U by David Barton is located at 215 West 23rd Street in New York. Memberships are limited to ages 21 and older, and registration can be found at gymunyc.com