Hyannis Youth & Community Center

Hyannis, Mass.
Construction Cost: $19 million
Area / Square Feet: 105,000
Occupancy Date: September 2009

Combining a regional hockey arena, community center and youth center, the Hyannis Youth & Community Center is composed of a series of small contextual forms that articulate spaces within the building and are consistent with the small Cape Cod town in which it is situated.

The rinks are programmatically windowless, highly insulated volumes connected by locker rooms, all set one level below street grade. On the street side, smaller elements are positioned to break down the scale of the building and hide the arena’s size. These elements are scaled and articulated so that the building is at home on Hyannis’ Main Street. On the sides located away from the street, standard metal panels are utilized with colors inserted in different patterns to decorate the shed.

In the arena, three large volumes are functionally arranged in a manner that supports fast turnaround of the two ice sheets. Two hockey rinks are located on either side of a double-sided locker room core, with the large number of locker rooms allowing for continuous use of the ice. Seating capacity and acoustical accommodations enable the hosting of figure skating competitions, ice shows and concerts.

An open plan was desired for supervision and security. Extensive use of glass enables recreation staff to supervise all spaces, and patrons are aware that they can be seen. Large volumes define the youth center and the café, both of which received accent colors that highlight points of destination and enliven the spaces. The main concourse doubles as a hockey viewing location, with tables and chairs that allow for 150 spectators in a heated environment.