Organization: Indianapolis Zoo
Role: Concept Designer / Project Lead
Completed: 2002
Status: Built / Retired
Key Contributions: Concept Development | Guest Experience | Vendor Coordination
The Opportunity
As Guest Relations Manager at the Indianapolis Zoo, part of my role included overseeing membership sales, upgrades, and member entry at the main entrance. I worked closely with the Membership Department to promote membership and meet sales goals.
We saw an opportunity to reach guests before they entered the zoo by creating a mobile membership kiosk outside the main gate. Rather than using a conventional sales cart or booth, I wanted the kiosk to feel like it belonged in the zoo environment while still serving the practical needs of the membership team.
My Role & Approach
I developed the concept for a kiosk themed as a safari jeep, beginning with a hand-drawn sketch of how the idea could work. I then researched companies that specialized in custom kiosks and worked with a fabricator to translate the initial concept into something that could be produced.
Vendor renderings allowed us to refine elements of the design and color scheme before moving into fabrication. The finished kiosk retained the basic idea from the original sketch while adapting it into a functional workspace for the membership team.
Vendor renderings developed from the initial concept as the kiosk moved toward fabrication.
The Finished Kiosk
The kiosk was fabricated and placed outside the zoo’s main entrance, giving the membership team a dedicated location to talk with arriving guests about membership before they entered the zoo. The safari jeep design allowed a functional sales kiosk to feel more connected to its surroundings rather than appearing as a separate commercial fixture.
The completed kiosk in its original location outside the Indianapolis Zoo entrance.
Evolution
After I moved into leadership of the zoo’s Attractions department, the kiosk was eventually repurposed for another guest-facing function. Our team operated Photo Adventures, which included a green screen photo experience as well as photographers capturing guest photos at locations throughout the zoo.
The kiosk was relocated near the zoo’s exit and converted into a photo viewing and pick-up location, where guests could see and purchase photographs taken during their visit. It continued to serve in this new role for several years.