Organization: Conner Prairie
Role: Concept Designer
Completed: 2023
Status: Conceptual / Unbuilt
Key Contributions: Concept Development | Experience Design | Interpretive Planning | 3D Modeling | Play Design
The Opportunity
Conner Prairie developed a two-mile trail system around the oxbow of the White River, with a paved trail at ground level and a more rugged trail following the top of the elevated flood control berm. Four hubs were planned along the route where the two trails would come together, providing shared spaces for educational programming regardless of which trail guests chose to follow.
While the landscaping and hardscapes for the hubs had been designed, no educational themes or programming had been developed. When a potential partner approached Conner Prairie about collaborating on a hub focused on Indiana hardwoods, it provided the first opportunity to explore what one of these spaces could become.
Using the existing hardscape design for one of the hubs, I began developing a concept that combined education about Indiana hardwoods with physical play. The concept became the first attempt to define a guest experience for one of the four planned hubs.
My Role & Approach
I took the existing hardscape design for the hub and developed the concept for how guests could experience and learn about Indiana hardwoods within the space. Rather than treating the hub primarily as a place for interpretive signs or scheduled programming, I wanted to explore how play could become part of the learning experience.
I worked within the existing layout and grade changes to incorporate playground elements directly into the space. Slides took advantage of the change in elevation, while climbing and stepping elements inspired by logs and tree stumps created additional ways for guests to move through the hub. Interpretive content was incorporated into the retaining walls so that information about hardwoods became part of the environment rather than a separate layer added to it.
I developed the concept in SketchUp to explore how the play elements, interpretation, and existing hardscape could work together as a single experience.
The Experience
The Hardwood Playground was designed as a place where guests could learn about Indiana hardwoods through a combination of interpretation and physical play. Guests could move between the upper and lower levels of the hub using slides, log and stump-inspired climbing elements, and the existing paths through the space.
Interpretive panels integrated into the retaining walls would introduce information about hardwood trees and their role in Indiana’s landscape. Together, the play and interpretive elements were intended to make the hub a place to explore rather than simply a stopping point along the trail.
Concept Renderings & 3D Model
Click here to view the 3D model in SketchUp
Project Status
The potential partnership that initiated the project ultimately did not move forward, and the funding needed to develop the Hardwood Playground was not secured. The concept was not advanced to final design or construction.
The trail system opened in 2024 without the four planned hubs. Conner Prairie is now exploring a more cohesive approach to developing all four hubs as part of the larger trail experience.