Shane Homes YMCA at Rocky Ridge

RJC Engineers

Calgary, AB

The newly completed Shane Homes YMCA at Rocky Ridge, with a footprint of over 26,000 m2, is the world’s largest YMCA. RJC Engineers worked in close collaboration with the architect and contractor to develop a design option that achieved the city’s goals of creating a community space that was practical, cost-effective and aesthetically striking. The facility flawlessly blends unconventional design approaches with the natural grandeur of Alberta’s rolling foothills. The roof, a key structural design feature developed to achieve the building’s irregular and contouring form, is the largest single wood roof in North America. This was achieved by using one common shape for all main roof beams, reducing costs and improving efficiency while maintaining the allure of the building’s interior focal point.