The Emerald Hills Leisure Centre caters specifically to leisure, therapeutic and learn-to-swim programming. The facility is cojoined to an existing Catholic high school, with an operating partnership to create a shared community center and aquatic programming for students. The aquatic hall and lobby are conceived as a singular sculpted volume that defines the new social hub of the community. The existing gymnasium, auditorium and classrooms are shared with the aquatic facility to create a vibrant evening community center.
The aquatic center includes a six-lane, 25-meter lap pool, an adjustable-floor therapy pool, a tot pool, a whirlpool and a steam room. The facility features a fully transparent, gender-neutral changing room, accessible and inclusive for all. An upper-level “shell space” is provided above the changing rooms as a future fitness center.
The building’s trapezoidal plan is created by maximizing the buildable footprint to the site setbacks. The sloping roof provides maximum natatorium volume and clerestory daylighting, with a low height to the rear courtyard.
Responding to the Northern Alberta climate, the building’s triple-glazed openings are minimized to four strategic locations and shaped to maximize their effect. Glazing is specifically located low at deck level for views to landscaped areas to the west, and located high on the front elevation to bounce light off the ceiling structure, resulting in maximum low-glare lighting distribution.
Stanwood-Camano YMCA
