CJS Architects was tasked with designing the Sands Family YMCA, a 75,000 square-foot state-of-the-art multi-use facility that took the place of the 100-year-old Canandaigua YMCA.

When designing the Sands Family YMCA, the goal was to create a large, contemporary facility that could accommodate more people. To achieve a modern look, CJS Architects opted for insulated metal panels (IMPs).

Over 8,500 square-feet of Kingspan KS Mini Micro-Rib IMPs in the colors Bone White, Driftwood and Sandstone were used as the building envelope for the Sands Family YMCA. Kingspan’s KS Series panels provide unique aesthetics through a wide range of profiles – like the Mini Micro-Rib – and provide a clean, finished appearance to any project. 

“We randomized the color palette of the IMPs and opted for a horizontal installation to make the overall look a bit more modern,” said Jonathan Claeys, senior project architect at CJS Architects. “This detailing also helped make the overall composition of the building more linear, which is something we were interested in, since the facility sits in a rural setting. The metal from the IMPs is a bit more contemporary than traditional materials we usually see on YMCA facilities, like brick.”

In addition to design flexibility, IMPs offer excellent thermal capabilities, especially for a facility of this size located in the Northeast. 

Kingspan’s IMPs provide strong thermal barriers to maintain safe and comfortable environments by creating airtight and watertight continuous insulation seals. This also helps to reduce this facility’s energy consumption. IMPs can help reduce heating and cooling costs and help to regulate indoor temperatures for athletes. 

“Kingspan’s IMPs encapsulated a bunch of savings on efficiency and provided the facility with continuous insulation on the exterior walls,” said Jonathan Genrich, senior project architect at CJS Architects.

Ease of installation was an added bonus of IMPs, as they only require one type of installer, rather than multiple trades. Building projects across sectors have tight timelines, and the speed of build advantage of IMPs is another reason why they are selected as a building envelope solution for a wide range of projects.      

“The use of IMPs played a large role regarding the rapidness of installation,” continued Genrich. “Believe it or not, the contractor was able to do most of the installation in the harsh winter months, keeping the construction timeline for the facility on track.”

The Sands Family YMCA features an athletic facility, medical care facility and early learning center. Amenities of the facility include an indoor recreational pool, splash pad, lap pool and spa. A large gymnasium also features a traditional hard-court gym and a turf field suitable for functional fitness classes and adolescent-based programming.