Four Waters Edge Projects Showcased in 2026 Athletic Business Aquatic Design Portfolio

Waters Edge

The 12th annual Aquatic Design Portfolio, published by Athletic Business, highlights 42 outstanding aquatic facilities, including four designed by Waters Edge Aquatic Design: Lansing Aquatic Center, Quapaw Nation Splash Pad, Valley Rec Center, and YMCA Waterpark at The Landing. This portfolio showcases the next generation of aquatic facility innovation, architecture, and design. Each project demonstrates how aquatic spaces can serve athletes and casual swimmers alike, highlighting the creative solutions designers are bringing to the challenge of delivering performance, wellness, and enjoyment.

Water is sacred. It sustains us, draws us together, and reminds us of our connection to something larger than ourselves. In communities across the country, aquatics facilities serve as gathering spaces where children learn to swim, where athletes train, where families find refuge from summer heat, and where wellness becomes a way of life. This month, we’re celebrating the design and innovation that make these spaces not only possible, but truly special. The 42 aquatics projects featured in the 2026 Aquatic Design Portfolio represent far more than advanced construction and engineering. They embody the vision of facility directors, architects, and community leaders who understand that thoughtful design impacts lives in myriad ways.

— Andy Berg, Executive Editor of Athletic Business

Lansing Aquatic Center

Lansing, Kansas
  • Aerial photo of the Lansing Aquatic Center in Lansing, Kansas.
  • Aerial photo of the Lansing Aquatic Center in Lansing, Kansas.
  • Aerial photo of the Lansing Aquatic Center in Lansing, Kansas.
  • Aerial photo of the Lansing Aquatic Center in Lansing, Kansas.
  • Aerial photo of the Lansing Aquatic Center in Lansing, Kansas.
  • Aerial photo of the Lansing Aquatic Center in Lansing, Kansas.
  • Aerial photo of the Lansing Aquatic Center in Lansing, Kansas.

With a water surface area of 8,840 square feet, Lansing Aquatic Center offers ample space and amenities for patrons to enjoy during the hot summer months. Features include a six-lane, 25-meter lap pool, a diving board, a basketball goal, a retractable water volleyball net, a climbing wall, a zero-depth-entry shallow pool with a family slide, a compact lazy river, two full-size waterslides, and a separated splashpad. Prior to its completion, the City of Lansing didn’t have a public outdoor pool.

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Quapaw Nation Splash Pad

Quapaw, Oklahoma

The Quapaw Nation Splash Pad offers guests an immersive experience celebrating the history and culture of the Quapaw people. To enter, guests pass through an archway inspired by the long houses traditionally used by the Quapaw. The soft surface of the pad features different shades of green, each representing one of the tribes, interwoven with blue paths that symbolize the rivers along which the Quapaw have historically settled. Throughout the pad, signs display the names of the tribes and their meanings, providing an educational component to the experience.

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Valley Rec Center

Valley Center, Kansas
  • Exterior view of the Valley Rec Center in Valley Center, Kansas

The Valley Rec Center features a 4,627-square-foot pool with several amenities for a variety of aquatics activities suitable for all ages. The zero-depth shallow area houses a play structure, a toddler slide, and several underwater foaming geysers. The lap pool contains a 1-meter diving board, a basketball hoop, a climbing wall, and starting blocks. This state-of-the-art recreation center sits on a 30-acre parcel that the City of Valley Center plans to expand with future developments, including an outdoor aquatic center.

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YMCA Waterpark at The Landing

Bettendorf, Iowa
  • Birds eye view of the YMCA Water Park at The Landing in Bettendorf, Iowa.
  • Photo of the lazy river at the YMCA Water Park at The Landing in Bettendorf, Iowa.
  • Photo of children using the play structure at the YMCA Water Park at The Landing in Bettendorf, Iowa.
  • Photo of a child using one of the climbing walls at the YMCA Water Park at The Landing in Bettendorf, Iowa.

The YMCA Water Park at The Landing presents an innovative outdoor aquatic center designed to serve the diverse needs of the City of Bettendorf’s community. As part of a larger park project that includes a new outdoor ice rink, the YMCA Water Park replaced the city’s aging pool. With a water surface area of 16,916 square feet, this aquatic facility features three main attractions: a splash pad, a leisure pool, and a lazy river.

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