david d. hunting ymca

Environmental Design + Construction magazine’s Fourth Annual Excellence in Design Awards recognize commercial spaces and offices, institutional facilities, government buildings, multi-use residential buildings and single-family residential homes that clearly demonstrate a commitment to green building and sustainable design. To be considered, projects must have exhibited a variety of criteria as determined by a panel of judges. In this issue, we highlight the “institutional, non-profit organization, educational and healthcare” category winner; the David D. Hunting YMCA in Grand Rapids, Mich., submitted by Integrated Architecture.

Awards judge Rick Fedrizzi, president and CEO of the USGBC, said, “The David D. Hunting YMCA of Grand Rapids is one more giant step forward for a city that has decided that it will control its own destiny. The written part of their submittal stated what I feel is a critical foundation for true adoption of sustainability as a core value… This clearly articulated to me that the design team has a vision that transcends the status quo. It is about building what is right for the community’s most valuable resources, young and old. The design is filled with light and air and water and happy people… One wonderful building.”

The design team at Integrated Architecture says, “Sustainable design is more than using recycled materials and LEED strategies. It is the attitude that embraces the concept that fresh air, sunlight and healthy buildings belong to the community. For the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids, creating a ‘healthy, sustainable’ YMCA came as a natural outgrowth of their mission to build strong bodies, minds and spirit for everyone – regardless of their ability to pay.”

The decision to seek Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for the new Grand Rapids downtown YMCA — the first Y in the nation to do so — also came at the urging of the Hunting family, whose $5,000,000 gift in honor of their father, David D. Hunting, provided the foundation for the fundraising effort.

The LEED-registered YMCA in Grand Rapids, Mich., is awash in natural light and filled with fresh air and healthy building materials. Photos by Justin Maconochie.

The result is an elegant facility that reflects the vision and passion of David D. Hunting, a Steelcase founder, to unite the community of Grand Rapids. The high-performance building is awash in natural light and filled with fresh air and healthy building materials. Sustainable components range from low/no-VOC off-gassing finishes, floors and carpets to photovoltaic solar roof panels. Since its opening in July of 2005 membership growth has exceeded expectations, increasing over 38 percent, and all are welcome to join – regardless of income, religion, social status or ability to pay.

The David D. Hunting YMCA emerges from the landscape along US 131 to offer a tangible manifestation of the Y’s emphasis on community. Designed to be a “destination” Y, and replacing a 90-year-old central city facility and a second smaller urban Y, this structure radiates energy and excitement by physically and visually connecting people and spaces both within the facility and to passersby. The result is a Y where youth, teens, adults, seniors and families come together to connect and create a social community.

Awards judge and President of the USGBC Rick Fedrizzi says, “The David D. Hunting YMCA of Grand Rapids is one more giant step forward for a city that has decided that it will control its own destiny… It is about building what is right for the community’s most valuable resources… One wonderful building.” Photo by Justin Maconochie.

This building’s simple, uncomplicated form responds to both function and setting, filling its location on a fringe urban site with its east, west, and south edges abutting adjacent streets. The footprint, with its arched north and south facades, is derived from the third floor indoor running circuit.

Glass curtain walls support passive solar strategies and combine with zinc panels and renaissance stone to express an image of a solid, long-term community resident. The contrast created by mixing solidity and transparency establishes a kinetic and highly- animated experience, while respecting the YMCA’s traditional urban construction.

The lobby entrance immerses visitors in activity, offering views through the first floor aquatic center to the Grand Valley State University Campus across the street and beyond. The nondenominational chapel, central to the YMCA mission, floats above the circulation desk, offering an inward focus and oasis of quiet in the midst of activity. While the pools anchor the main floor, an open staircase urges members and visitors upward to second and third-floor fitness areas. The adjacencies of its programs offer a physical manifestation of the Y’s emphasis on community. Meeting rooms and chapel are located directly off the main entry. The indoor running track encircles the cardio/strength training area, climbing wall and court sports. Window walls overlook the aquatics center from both inside and outside the building.

The largest urban Y in the nation, the 159,000-square-foot David D. Hunting YMCA serves a diverse population, from downtown business people to inner city families. Challenged to create a building that would be a realization of the YMCA mission to build strong kids, strong families and strong communities, the building’s open, interconnected spaces work together to create a sense of community, as well as opportunities for interaction, as members naturally flow from one activity to the next.

The two full-court basketball floors can be sectioned off for other activities, while the 1/7th mile running track, around the perimeter of the building, offers unobstructed views of the city as well as activities taking place within the building. Numerous conversation areas present opportunities to catch your breath or catch up with a friend.

Corporate YMCA offices overlook the third floor activities, providing staff with a visual touchstone for the focus of their efforts. While the large open space supports community, smaller, intimate workout zones are created within the open areas allowing users to focus on their personal goals or on the cityscape vista

Information provided by Integrated Architecture.

SIDEBAR 1: david d. hunting ymca

leed-registered ymca facility features a pool, running track, basketball courts, offices and more, designed with sustainable strategies, reflecting the vision and passion of david d. hunting, a steelcase founder, to unite the community of grand rapids.
location: grand rapids, mich.
award application submitted by: integrated architecture, grand rapids, mich. mike corby, aia, and trisha spaulding. www.intarch.com
date completed: june 2005
size: 159,000 square feet
awards: leed certification in progress

SIDEBAR 2: materials used in the ymca

• boilers: three viessman boilers with modulating burners heat most of the building - their efficiency ranges from 84 to 98 percent, depending on the return water temperature.
• ceilings: armstrong acoustical tile consisting of 79 percent recycled material and 60 percent post-consumer recycled paper.
• chillers: the roof-mounted cooling is delivered to most of the building through high-efficiency, multiple-stage chillers with high turndown chillers. each piece of the cooling equipment has been manufactured with non-ozone depleting cfcs.
• flooring: stonblend rtz by stonhard floor systems; rikett quartz tile by rikett quartz; dressed to kill collection by shaw carpet; cork tile by expanko cork.
• hvac systems: trane units with fan coils are located around the building –ceresco dehumidifier units on the roof reclaim the heat in the air and return it to the fresh air and to the pool via heat exchangers. not only is the space humidity itself moderated, but the heat is also reused to keep the heating costs down.
• insulation/icfs: 3-inch thick rigid foam insulation between masonry and wall
• interior finishes and furnishings: all follow leed guidelines for recycled materials. by steelcase.
• landscaping: native, drought tolerant plants requiring no irrigation were chosen. extra trees were planted in the parking lot to provide shade and reduce the heat island effects.
• low-e glass – architectural glass and metal.
• paints and wall coverings: sherwin williams low-voc.
• parking lot bioswale.
• plumbing fixtures: falcon waterfree urinals; kohler water closets, sloan flush valves, chicago faucets and powers shower heads and mixing valves.
• pv cells on roof: namaste - a bank of roof-mounted solar collectors can generate up to 18,000 watts of electricity.
• roofing: tpo – white, firestone ultraply.
• wood: conner wood flooring for gym, racquetball and aerobic rooms — certified sustainable wood.

SIDEBAR 3: congratulations to the project team:

architecture/design: integrated architecture, mike corby, aia
owner: ymca of grand rapids
general contractor / construction manager: visser brothers
structural engineer: jdh engineering
civil/landscape: moore & bruggink
photography: justin maconochie and mark thomas productions

ED+C’s 2006 excellence in design awards institutional, non-profit organization, educational and healthcare-category Finalists

the new york public library bronx library center
Central library provides expanded collections in a state-of-the art, high-performance facility.
Submitted by: Dattner Architects
Location: Bronx, N.Y.
Size: 78,000 square feet
Completed: December 2005
Applied for LEED Silver

children’s museum of pittsburgh
Innovative new and existing building uses sustainable practices to teach. Submitted by: Koning Eizenberg Architecture
Location: Pittsburgh, Pa.
Size: 80,000 square feet
Completed: August 2005
Awards: LEED-Silver pending, AIA Honor Award, American Architecture Award and others.

grinnell college cera environmental education center
365-acre natural savannah and prairie is preserved through restoration of sustainable educational facility.
Submitted by: Holabird & Root
Location: Kellogg, Iowa
Size: 9,508 square feet
Completed: April 2005
LEED Gold

athletic and fitness center addition and renovation at st. paul’s school
Two gyms connect existing buildings and apply sustainable strategies.
Submitted by: ARC/Architectural Resources Cambridge, Inc.
Location: Concord, N.H.
Size: 100,000 square feet
Completed: October 2004
LEED-registered

honorable mentions:

• Rubenstein Hall Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy at Duke University, and Bell Tower Hall, also at Duke University, both submitted by ARC/Architectural Resources Cambridge, Inc.
• Prairie Crossing Charter School, submitted by Serena Sturm Architects, Ltd.
• Art Academy of Cincinnati/Art Academy of Cincinnati, submitted by Design Collective, Inc.
• Southeast Regional Treatment Center at Madison State Hospital, submitted by HOK and Ratio
• Pearland Pediatrics, submitted by BPMS Architects
• School of Dentistry Tissue and Cell Biology Laboratory Renovation, University of Calif., San Francisco, submitted by BlakeDrucker Architects