The WKTF is a massive Whitewater Kayaking Training Facility set in Urbanovsky Park, on the campus of Texas Tech University. The training facility is conceived to be a part of a large scale "National Aquatics Training Academy" creating a mini campus of aquatic venues within the larger community in which it resides. The facility uses a state of the art adjustable obstacle system capable of replicating any whitewater scenario. The 2.6 million-gallon lagoon is designed to speed the training process by keeping the athletes in their kayaks, eliminating the time wasted on numerous trips upstream.
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| Circulation Plan |
The WKTF is a giant concrete lagoon. The program of the facility is divided into three main areas. The first is open to the public inviting visitors to the rails to look over the entry pool. The second zone is the entry lagoon where kayakers launch their boats and get their bearings. This area also includes the locker rooms and a stadium seating area that stretches all the way into the water for lessons and seminars. The third area is the main lagoon, a massive bowl that envelops the kayakers, isolating them from the distractions of the outside world.
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| Detail Section through Bowl |
By incorporating a completely adjustable obstacle system, the facility can continually provide a new and exciting experience athletes are looking for. This versatile system allows the facility to cater to athletes of all skill levels, novice to expert. The obstacles are created from large air bladders capable of significantly altering the configuration of the rapids according to their air pressure.
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| Conceptual Collage |
This creates a dynamic environment in which the kayaker is forced to react to changing conditions, providing an authentic, challenging kayak training experience in a safe, controlled environment.
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| Worm's-eye View |
