There’s a word for it: friluftsliv. Whilst most cultures use several words to describe “open-air living”, the Norwegian playwright and poet, Henrik Ibsen, succinctly wrapped-up the concept back in the 1850s to describe the value of spending time outdoors for spiritual and physical wellbeing. Fast-forward 150 years, and outdoor living is now both a craving and necessity.

After almost 18 months of pandemic life, the end seems close and many people are yearning for activity and the presence of others. But with the outlook far from certain, the solution lies in taking life outdoors. “Bringing the living room outside” is one of Forbes’ predictions for summer 2021, quickly followed by “outdoor kitchens”. According to the article, “the lines between indoor and outdoor design are blurring more and more.” In the UK, meanwhile, the price of homes with gardens has hit a four-year high, according to the Financial Times, with the pandemic “reshaping buyers’ preferences.” The FT adds that “83% of surveyors in the UK anticipated demand increasing for homes with gardens over the next two years.”

At Aspria, space - particularly outdoors - has always been in abundance. With more space per member than any other club in Europe, we’ve optimised our already expansive grounds in Belgium, Italy and Germany to transform outdoor fitness and living for members. Some facilities have always been there - outdoor tennis, swimming pools, restaurant terraces - whilst others have been especially created, such as outdoor exercise classes, running groups and PT sessions, to offer variety for members and help them find balance. We’ve even built towers...

Such is our commitment to offering space and variety for outdoor fitness, that the three Brussels clubs have created an Aspria outdoor running group on the Strava app, by organising group sessions across the city for three different routes - 5km, 10km and 15 km - all led by an instructor. The Arts-Loi club has gone a step further, negotiating with local authorities to launch outdoor group classes in Orban Square, just 10 minutes from the club (booked via myAspria fitness app). With many people craving the company of others, finding ways to exercise together blends mental and physical health benefits into one.

Back in the clubs, appetite for training - and living - in the open air is rife. A tent was set up on the green at Royal La Rasante to allow for better, high-intensity training conditions for up to18 people, while the terrace outside the Relaxation Room has been repurposed for al-fresco cycling classes. Socially-distanced, outdoor group exercise classes for up to 24 people can be booked via myAspria fitness app, or you can trade forehands on outdoor tennis courts (socially, with a private coach or in group classes for children), and burn off the carbs with outdoor PT sessions.

Children are well looked-after, too, with new summer camp activities added to Royal La Rasante’s offering, including Yoga Initiation, Zumba Kids, Baby Karaté, MindHub & Multisports. Whilst the risk to children from Covid-19 has been relatively low, the pandemic has ”starved” them of the physical and social activities needed to develop into healthy adults, according to a CBC article. Pediatrician Saba Merchant has coined the term “social malnutrition” to refer to the long-term damage that lack of normal socialising is having on children’s physical and mental health.

Or, you can do nothing at all. With four hectares of gardens and a restaurant terrace, Royal La Rasante is an urban sanctuary for outdoor living. Close your eyes, feel the sun on your face, and breathe.

Further south in Milan, at the historic Harbour Club, the space spreads to seven hectares of private gardens with far-reaching views, not to mention 18 tennis and four padel courts, an Olympic-size outdoor pool for individual swimming and Aqua classes, and a pool bar.

Triform, a new outdoor functional tower, offers full-body workouts for up to 30 people, while outdoor classes in the club park accommodates 25 members. For solo activities, PT sessions are now outdoors and new “self-training” activities have been designed in the club park, inspired by the Percorso Vita concept in Italy’s public parks: a path of instruction boards featuring different exercises for members to follow themselves, in their own time.

Like in most of our clubs, children are well-catered for with a range of outdoor exercise classes, including Zumba Family, Mini Movers and football. Between June and September, summer camps are also available for children aged 4-11.

In Hamburg, the Uhlenhorst and Alstertal clubs have looked high (and low) for outdoor exercise options. In Uhlenhorst, a functional tower on the Hockeyfield is available for individual or partner training, while in Alstertal, a balcony and terrace caters for this type of outdoor exercise. You can book PT sessions directly with a trainer at both clubs and hit some balls at the outdoor tennis courts - children have the option of tennis classes. And anyone can escape to the 18,000 sq m of landscaped gardens at Uhlenhorst .

For a true escape to nature, nothing beats Hannover Maschsee. Set on the Maschsee lake with a private beach, members would normally dive into mood-enhancing wild swims and watersports, take part in outdoor training activities and soak up the sun terrace for rest and nourishment. Our Insel Beach Club restaurant is offering scenic outdoor dining, in strict compliance with COVID-19 regulations.

Whilst the move to remote working - permanent for some, partial for others - certainly has its benefits, notably cutting down on wasted commuting time, many people’s wellbeing depends on interaction beyond the confines of their houses. With summer approaching, our outdoor spaces can offer a home-from-home.

Will the shift to outdoor living be a permanent one? Or will we return to pre-pandemic habits once global vaccination programmes are complete? The jury is out, but what’s conclusive is this: for those who crave fitness, social and wellbeing activities, living outdoors will have new significance from now on.