From the earliest planning, the purpose was clear: meet real local needs and create a place people want to be.

Childcare capacity moved the project from idea to action. A State of Wisconsin Workforce Innovation grant—just shy of $3.8 million—helped launch the effort to address what leaders described as a regional “childcare desert.” As Director of Operations Luke Smetters explained, the Y expanded after‑school capacity from 50 to 75 kids and added licensed care for children six weeks to kindergarten—reaching two‑thirds capacity shortly after opening.

The lobby, studios, and commons were intentionally designed as gathering spaces. “It’s more than a building—it’s a community hub where people connect, stay healthy, and feel like they belong,” Luke said.

Put simply: this expansion was about belonging and community pride as much as bricks and mortar.

Trent’s guidance for peers: build a core team you can lean on from day one—people who make decisions together, monitor the budget together, and steady each other through the stressful stretches.

That team extended beyond the Y. Regular working sessions brought project partners together so design intent, construction realities, and budget guardrails stayed aligned.

Luke described the cadence as a “playful dance” of options and revisions. “We’d get a new booklet of drawings—it was a celebration. We’d mark what worked, what didn’t, and our partners would return with two or three refined possibilities. We’d marry up the best ideas and move forward.” That collaboration helped eliminate surprises.

The Y needed to honor national brand standards while elevating the interior to feel “spa‑like” and modern. Working within Zimmerman’s architectural palette, Thysse translated that brief into a cohesive, “quiet‑confident” aesthetic system:

• Warm wood + subtle brand color cues repeat at key entry points, extending architectural materials into the identity system so the building and signage feel like one design.
• Acrylic dimensional letters provide crisp, durable room and space naming.
• Wayfinding that gets out of the way: as designer Kris Marconnet put it, “We wanted some things to pop out and other things to lie back—wayfinding should be useful, not loud.”
• ADA room IDs use tactile lettering and Braille, with bilingual English/Spanish text where appropriate.

“From the start, this project was about heart,” Kris said. “Our job was to make that heart visible. Our initial concepts leveraged research we’d done on other Y’s and, of course, their style guide. But Trent and Luke had a different vision—a modern recreational facility that felt more elegant and modern. It was a significant departure from the traditional way the Y brand is expressed. The way we executed that vision—the final concepts—required multiple check-ins with the national office to ensure we weren’t pushing it too far. I’m impressed, really. Both with the vision and the fact that our designs were ultimately approved. It speaks to an open mindedness and forward thinking perspective—and that isn’t always the case. As a brand storyteller, I’ve seen it go the other way many times. …Wonderful opportunities to elevate spaces get shelved—thrown out, really. So this was refreshing. Kudos to Trent and Luke—and the broader Y team for being brave. It paid off!”

With more than 400 donors supporting the project, the Y prioritized recognition that felt meaningful and unified—sincere, not transactional.

• A custom hallway donor wall uses back‑printed graphics mounted to ½" clear acrylic pucks set on standoffs. Sizes correspond to giving levels, forming an elegant, gridded field that’s easy to navigate and designed for expansion.
• High‑visibility space naming—from gymnasiums to studios—honors major contributions while preserving the building’s calm aesthetic.
• A Colony Brands history wall near the lobby staircase tells the story of a longtime community partner in a way that celebrates their service and local impact.

Luke’s perspective: “It’s not just about them. It’s more about their involvement within the community. It’s about them giving back.”

Nonprofits live and die on stewardship. Thysse worked with the Y to focus investment where it would be most felt, then value‑engineer elsewhere without losing impact.

• Prioritize high‑impact moments. Trent: “We picked and chose where to spend—high‑impact areas like the lobby and our Revolution studio. Everybody sees those.”
• Leverage what the building already gives you. Kris: “We maneuvered wood entryways into the architectural scope so we could focus our budget on other elements.”
• Choose durable, maintainable materials. Luke emphasized long‑term wear in public zones (front desk, corridors—bag bumps and all).

• The Lobby “Y.” A bold, photo‑friendly brand moment on a warm slat wall greets members at the door. “Your gaze is immediately taken to that Y logo,” Luke said. “It’s simple—but it’s who we are.”
• “Revolutionize Yourself” (Boot Camp Studio). A lit encouragement wall and subtle dimensional moldings add energy without visual noise. “It’s a little unexpected—and people light up when they see it,” Luke said.

• A modern, welcoming experience that reflects the Y’s mission of youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility.
• Expanded childcare that meets urgent community needs—plus flexible spaces where seniors celebrate birthdays, teens hang out, and parents exhale between programs.
• A donor‑forward environment that says “thank you” with clarity and class.

“At the end of the day, so many people gave to this project,” Trent said. “We are so grateful to them and for this opportunity.”

• Start with the community problem, not the building. Childcare demand made the case. The project solution followed.
• Form a core team and set a standing cadence. Owner + construction + branding/wayfinding at the same table reduces rework and surprise costs.
• Design for calm confidence. Use fewer, better cues. Let architecture and signage cooperate.
• Steward the budget like a story. Spend where people feel it (entries, commons, studios). Engineer elsewhere.
• Make gratitude visible. Recognition that’s elegant and consistent builds trust—and future giving.

If you’re exploring a project and want a partner who can help you align brand, wayfinding, accessibility, and donor recognition—without losing sight of community or budget—let’s talk.

Start a conversation with Thysse.