Wallace Design Collective

Located just minutes south of downtown Tulsa, the YMCA of Greater Tulsa has provided an outdoor camp experience for nearly 65 years. In that time, thousands of Tulsa’s youths have learned more about the great outdoors while making friendships that last a lifetime. To better educate future generations about the world around them, the YMCA of Greater Tulsa worked with the project team to design what is now the new standard for YMCA programming across the country. The 35-acre site was master planned to provide an organic camp experience in an urban environment.

The site includes 25,000 square feet of new indoor activity space. Connecting all the facilities are methodically planned trails and play areas that lead to the new 250-seat amphitheater / chapel, nestled into the existing topography and overlooking Lake Logan and the William E. Smith Lodge. After multiple in-depth reviews with the YMCA, the new campus has taken on an entirely new identity to provide the Tulsa community unmatched outdoor and indoor education spaces.

As the City of Tulsa has grown and developed, the H&KK YMCA and neighboring Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness (located just seven miles south of the urban core) have provided essential natural reprieves for the public. For many of Tulsa’s impoverished youth, the H&KK YMCA is their only connection to a natural environment.

photos: ©Yellow Dog Design Works