Construction Zone
Construction Themed exhibit for the Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum. Staker Parsons sponsored the exhibit. the goal was to show how concrete is used and recycled. The theme needed to fit within the original construction zone which had blocks and cranes as the only interactive element. A slide and tunnel were also requested to be added to the exhibit to add more play options for children. I created the graphic design, illustration, and CAD blueprints for the project, with fabrication carried out by Matt Merton.
My initial concept drew inspiration from coin sorters and ball pits. I envisioned that in large quantities, the balls could create a fluid-like motion, simulating the pouring of an asphalt road. This setup would enable children to engage in role-playing the process of road construction. After the balls are released, they use the conveyor belt to scoop up the balls and watch them be sorted into their appropriate sizes, reflecting the process used by Staker Parson in recycling concrete. Thematically, I aimed to evoke the ambiance of being at one of their quarries in the mountains of Utah.
I created early CAD drawings for our fabricator to use as a reference. During the initial prototyping stage, we realized that the ramp for the balls required a significantly steeper decline. This prompted a complete redesign of the layout to accommodate the steeper ramp while preserving space for the crawl tunnel, without increasing the platform's overall height. To meet safety code, railings were added. I designed the railings to resemble road barriers to maintain immersion within the design. Additionally, we opted to replace the original slide with a sourced one to streamline costs and time. Following these adjustments, I created the final artwork for the wall mural, dirt mural, and graphics.
