Brooks Family YMCA

Brooks Family YMCA Piedmont Family YMCA

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B ro o k s Fam i ly YM C A P i ed mo n t Fami ly YM CA

The Added Value of Architecture The story of the Brooks Family YMCA is a story of Architecture as an added value to the community, rather than an extra cost. Constructed for a modest cost of $216/sf (including site work), and overcoming a five year delay prior to opening one year ago, the YMCA has seen 250,000 scan-ins, taught 600 children to swim, and has engaged 12,000 people in life-changing programs. Aided substantially by the design, memberships have surpassed projected goals by double to serve over 10,000 members. “The building sells itself. It is our job to retain members through programs,” explains the CEO. Currently, retainment is 25% higher than the national average. The architecture of the Brooks Family YMCA embodies the Y’s mission of sustaining the physical and social wellbeing of the community, as a place for the shared experiences of play, camaraderie, and sport.

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Site Plan + Floor Plans

Floor Plan

extents of McIntire Park diagram

mcintire park extents of McIntire Park diagram

hydrology and watershed diagram

hydrology and watershed diagram

hydrology

habitats and ecological diagram

habitats habitats and ecological diagram

topography and critical slopes diagram

topography and critical slopes diagram

topography

circulation and views/events diagram

circulation circulation and views/events diagram

orientation and sun/wind diagram

orientation and sun/wind diagram

orientation

SITE DIAGRAMS: A NATURAL FIT FOR EFFECTIVENESS + PERFORMANCE

1 Competition Pool

10 Kid Zone

2 Recreation Pool

11 Teen Center

3 Pool Terrace

12 Open-to-Gym Below

4 Fitness + Exercise Rooms

13 Elevated Running Track

5 Locker Rooms

14 Fitness Center

6 Gymnasium

15 Administration

7 Facility Storage

16 Lobby

8 Mechanical Room

17 Pool Observation Mezzanine

9 Entrance + Reception

18 Open-to-Pool Below

B ro o k s Fam i ly YM C A P i ed mo n t Fami ly YM CA

Reflecting Ceiling

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15 17

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Upper Level / Entrance Level

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4 1

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Lower Level / Gym + Pool Level

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Overcoming Adversity In 2007, the YMCA entered into partnership with the City of Charlottesville and the County of Albemarle to design a new fitness center for all its citizens, and by design, offer subsidized membership for all families in the community who weren’t served by private fitness clubs. Before construction began, two local private fitness clubs sued the City and the County, alleging violation of Virginia’s Public Procurement Act and challenging their contributions toward the project. Sadly, these same private fitness clubs don’t offer subsidized membership. Although both lawsuits were properly dismissed, construction was delayed 5 years while construction costs rose annually totaling $2.5 million more. During that time, the YMCA and design team worked to reduce construction costs while retaining value for the community. With collective creativity and ingenuity, program areas were not only maintained, but were increased overall by more than 7,000sf to better serve membership. The Brooks Family YMCA opened in June 2017.

B ro o k s Fam i ly YM C A P i ed mo n t Fami ly YM CA

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B ro o k s Fam i ly YM C A P i ed mo n t Fami ly YM CA

A Model of Community Not just a place to be, the Brooks Family YMCA offers a way to be. Institutions that build community have special significance in today’s increasingly digital, and increasingly divided world. On August 11th 2017, Charlottesville was the unfortunate host of the Unite the Right Rally of national white supremacist groups. In the aftermath of the rally’s racial tension and violence, the Y’s ongoing role to provide inviting spaces that connect community members across racial and socioeconomic lines is especially important.

The Brooks Family YMCA stands as an enduring counterprotest of such injustice, furthering values of openness, compassion, and diversity. Transparency as offered by the architecture inspires in members an attitude of endearing openness that can transform strangers into friends, and encourage our best sides.

People are drawn to places full of visible life that are transparent and welcoming, where they can understand themselves as part of a community. The Y’s generous windows provide opportunities for interaction, showcase programs inside the facility, and provide dramatic views to the park beyond. While working out in the fitness room, members can see pick-up basketball games in the gym, while also observing their child’s swim lesson in the recreation pool. More than just a gym-and-swim, the Brooks Family YMCA is a place where exercise, in proper measure, conditions diligent and virtuous citizenship. In addition to Fitness Rooms for Mind and Body, Group Exercise, Functional Training, and Spin, innovative programming includes a Kid Zone with interior play equipment, a Multigeneration and Teen Center with a teaching Kitchen, and a generous Community Lobby that is open to the public.

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Doing More with Less Poetry captivates us by using simple words, carefully selected, that are creatively arranged into a compilation greater than the sum of its parts. Likewise, a scarcity of means requires of the architect an abundance of meaning. The design approach for the Brooks Family YMCA utilizes common materials and strives to elevate them poetically as highly effective and distinctive assemblies. Structure is integrated and proudly exposed. Fiber cement cladding and brick exterior walls are articulated with wooden and copper accents that offer a sense of home to members, and allow the building to weather naturally as part of its place. Standard exterior corrugated metal wall panels are perforated to perform exterior sun shading while inviting daylight deep into the building. This diaphanous skin changes in appearance – nearly opaque at daytime depending on your point of view, then dissolving in the evening and offering to the Y’s programs a lantern-like glow.

plan diagram: layers + transparency

B ro o k s Fam i ly YM C A P i ed mo n t Fami ly YM CA

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Site and Building Section at Lobby + Fitness Room

STAIR COMMONS

FITNESS ROOM

SHADING DEVICE

Layers + Overlaps McINTIRE WOODS

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PARK PLAZA

SHADING DEVICE

COMMUNITY LOBBY

B ro o k s Fam i ly YM C A P i ed mo n t Fami ly YM CA

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B ro o k s Fam i ly YM C A P i ed mo n t Fami ly YM CA

A Seamless Fit in the Park Building in McIntire Park was an incredible opportunity for the YMCA. In addition to the Park’s central location, new indoor recreational and community programs partner easily with the Park’s outdoor amenities. The opportunity to build in the Park set in motion an instant commitment and understanding from all team members to build well and in a way that represented and best supported the community.

The project team saw the YMCA as an act of adoration for Charlottesville and McIntire Park. The facility was constructed within a previously developed sloping terrain in order to preserve relatively level park areas for recreational use. Partially engaged into the hillside, the facility conceals its mass to appropriately scale to its surroundings. Saving mature trees helps the building seem comfortable in its place, providing shade and useable park space. From within the Y, the park acts as another room of the building, and the natural environment outside is on hand to restore and inspire members.

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site section at POOL

POOL

A Daylit Park Pavilion-Like Room McINTIRE WOODS

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PARK PAVILION

ENTRANCE DRIVE

PARKING

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VMDO Architects vmdo.com | 434.296.5684 200 E Market St Charlottesville, VA 22902 1200 18th Street NW Suite 700 Washington, DC 20036

For more information on Athletic + Community work please contact:

For more information on Brooks Family YMCA please contact:

Joe Celentano, AIA, LEED AP celentano@vmdo.com

Jim Richardson, AIA, LEED AP BD+C richardson@vmdo.com

Randy Livermon, AIA, LEED AP BD+C livermon@vmdo.com