Racing Towards the Future

by Jonathan McGaha | June 2, 2013 12:00 am

The Oklahoma River has become a first-rate destination for competitive river sports since its rejuvenation in 2004 and Oklahoma City’s appointment as the new headquarters of USA Canoe/Kayak. Oklahoma City and the river have attracted Olympic hopefuls and river sport enthusiasts with its state-of-the-art training facilities, race course and pristine waters.

 

Home to the Oklahoma City University Rowing Program and the OKC National High Performance Center, the $10 million Devon Boathouse provides the anchor for the Boathouse District. Its facilities include a fitness center, the world’s first dynamic rowing tank, endless pool, high-altitude training room, weight and locker rooms, boat storage and repair area, as well as reception halls, event spaces and catering facilities. Additionally, the facility offers youth programs and classes through the Oklahoma City Boathouse Foundation. As blue LED lighting accents the exterior of the boathouse at night, the facility creates a striking image against the backdrop of Oklahoma City’s downtown skyline.

 

Towering four stories above the Oklahoma River and adjacent to the boathouse, is the Chesapeake Finish Line Tower. This iconic tower meets both International Coach Foundation (ICF) canoe/kayak standards, as well as International Federation of Rowing Associations racing standards, and will serve as the observation venue for races held on the river. The glass façade and open-plan design offers judges and spectators unparalleled 360-degree views of the race from start to finish. The facility features a welcome center, media and race control, VIP viewing gallery and an observation deck. Designed by Elliot + Associates Architects, Oklahoma City, the architects chose metal panels from Moon Township, Pa.-based CENTRIA to achieve the sleek futuristic forms. Both facilities are clad in Regal White Formawall Dimension Series metal wall panels to create a unified, modernistic and monochromatic aesthetic.

 

For the project, CENTRIA supplied 1,875 square feet of its 22-gauge, 2-inch vertical striated Formawall Dimension Series metal wall panels in Regal White with a smooth Fluorofinish coating, and 10,592 square feet of its 22-gauge, 2-inch horizontal striated Formawall Dimension Series metal wall panels in Regal White with a smooth Fluorofinish coating. CENTRIA also supplied its C/S Louvers for the project.

 

Both the Devon Boathouse and the Chesapeake Finish Line Tower received 2012 AIA Design Excellence Merit Awards from the AIA Central Oklahoma Chapter.

Devon Boathouse and Chesapeake Finish Line Tower, Oklahoma City

Awards: AIA Central Oklahoma Chapter 2012 Design Excellence Merit Awards

Architect: Elliot + Associates Architects, Oklahoma City

Boathouse contractor: Timberlake Construction, Oklahoma City

Tower contractor: Smith & Pickel Construction, Oklahoma City

Boathouse installer: B&B Steel, Houston

Tower installer: NOW Specialties, Carrollton, Texas

Dealer: W.J. Coe & Co. Inc., Oklahoma City

Metal wall panels/louvers: CENTRIA, Moon Township, Pa., www.centriaperformance.com[1]

Source URL: https://www.metalarchitecture.com/articles/racing-towards-the-future/

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