YMCA – First Look in the Architects’ Journal
DLA Architecture’s Transformative YMCA Wimbledon catalyst project completes and Phase 2 continues with a further 135 homes, championing sustainability and circular economy principles.
Phase One, completed earlier this year, facilitated the seamless move of 121 YMCA residents from the outdated existing building to the new, adjacent, purpose-built YMCA facility equipped with state-of-the-art amenities.
Each of the 121 rooms in the new YMCA building has an ensuite bathroom; shared cooking and communal facilities are located on each floor whilst a public gym and café occupy the ground floor. The facilities are further enhanced with training and counselling rooms, and commercial space at ground floor level aids community inclusion for YMCA residents to have an immediate sense of belonging in the wider community. These desirable amenities provide the YMCA residents a greater quality of life supporting them back into independent living.
From the onset and throughout the project, the YMCA residents were involved in designing the internal layouts and choosing furniture. Space Positive, an interior designer that specialises in psychologically informed environments and trauma informed spaces, helped with this process and ensured that the scheme is designed to feel like a welcoming and safe space.
PHASE 2 is currently underway on site and involves the demolition of the outdated and decrepit previous YMCA building to make way for the adjoining development of new 135 high-quality 1, 2 and 3 bedroom homes that will financially support the redevelopment of the YMCA.
This sustainable business model focuses on a circular economic community, benefiting both the homeless and addressing the under-provision of homes suitable for first-time buyers in the London Borough. The YMCA building serves the wider community, aligning with their vision of providing a valuable asset accessible to all. This inclusive approach fosters an environment where YMCA residents and neighbouring community members can thrive, creating open and welcoming spaces for everyone.
Architectural Form and Materiality:
The YMCA’s facade arches blend the aesthetics of Italian loggias with organic shapes from Wimbledon’s cityscape, fostering the contextual connection to community and establishing the YMCA as a dynamic focal point in the neighbourhood. Drawing on the vertical rhythm of nearby shopping parades and natural forms, the design incorporates a gentle overhang soffit and light-filled double-height colonnade, enhancing the welcoming and open atmosphere at street level. The choice of terracotta brick aligns the YMCA with the distinctive architecture of The Broadway, enriching its aesthetic integration with the surrounding area. This effect is further enhanced by the subdued tones of the neighbouring residential buildings, further highlighting the YMCA as the main drive of the development.
DLA partnered with local artist and Wimbledon College of Arts alum, Fiona Grady, to create abstract geometric patterns inspired by nature and Wimbledon’s organic shapes. These patterns were integrated into the horizontal elements and perforated panels of the YMCA rooms, adding texture and visual richness. This whimsical design feature not only enhances visual depth through its play with light and shadow, but also offers residents increased privacy and protection.
Brand new public realm and a children’s play space link together the series of new residential buildings that range from 9 storeys stepping down to 7, 6 and 5 storeys. The residential buildings also include 73% dual aspect homes and feature intensive and extensive green roofs, as well as bird and bat boxes to enhance biodiversity. The Energy Assessment closely aligns with GLA and London Plan guidelines, highlighting Heat Pumps and Photo-Voltaic electricity generation as key low-carbon technologies. Post-Be Green Stage, carbon reductions reach 75% for domestic and 69% for non-domestic aspects, with an overall site-wide carbon saving of 71% compared to Part L 2013 regulations. The project adheres to Merton Local Plan guidelines and targets a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating, supported by measures like the Life Cycle Costing Study and innovative heat pump energy strategy for maximum sustainability.
Mitchell Brand, Director of Land and Marketing at Thornsett Group, said:
“We’re delighted to achieve completion on phase 1 of this landmark project which enables us to support vulnerable and young people, as well as offer facilities that will benefit the whole community.
“Having worked with DLA Architecture on the award-winning Hackney Gardens project, we were well aware of the team’s design excellence and contextual approach which, in this case, has resulted in a high quality and commercially viable scheme that fits well with the local landscape.”
About Thornsett
Specialists in delivering residential-led enabling developments
Richard James CEO of YMCA St Paul’s Group said:
“We’re exceptionally proud that this brand-new YMCA Wimbledon provides 121 places for young and vulnerable people to call home, alongside a range of community facilities, including “our inclusive health and wellbeing services.
“We’re incredibly thankful to all our partners who have made this project possible including our developers, Thornsett, our architects DLA and construction partner, Neilcott, and, to the GLA for their £8million grant.”
About YMCA
YMCA St Paul’s Group is a leading provider of youth and community services and one of London’s largest providers of specialist Supported housing. The vision of YMCA St Paul’s Group is to create places where young people thrive and communities flourish.
Alejandro Carrajo, Project Architect and Associate at DLA Architecture, said:
“We are extremely pleased to have been involved in the design and delivery of this very important community asset in Wimbledon. It was very humbling to hear from one of the residents on how her life had been changed by the YMCA and how much of an improvement the new facilities are making to her life too. Reflecting on the future needs of occupiers in line with the YMCA ‘s charitable ambitions, we believe that we have delivered a future proof, highly sustainable new facility that aims to achieve a 100% carbon reduction and will be enhancing Wimbledon’s next generation of first-time buyers with phase 2 of the project.”
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