Tandy YMCA

With an aging facility, we were approached with adding an aquatics center and renovating the existing building. The program for the aquatic center evolved from the normal YMCA fitness-based natatorium to a modern facility: a recreation pool, a fitness pool, and a therapy pool. The YMCA partnered with the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine to provide additional services. This unique partnership created some non-typical spaces for a YMCA, instructional kitchen, and therapy pool.

The large scale of the additions enabled us to create a new façade for the YMCA. Having water slides go through the front of the building makes a playful nod to what is going on inside. With the scale of the natatorium, we had to create a more human scale for the entrance. We inserted a board-formed concrete mass with the mass carved out, leaving behind a warm wood paneling that matched the board-form pattern. This was juxtaposed with an interior mass of wood paneling with areas that are carved, leaving behind accent colors.