FRIENDS OF RAYSTOWN LAKE: CAMPGROUND REDESIGN
The Friends of Raystown Lake came to our studio with the goal of increasing their audience outreach. We were given little guidance, other than the constraint that this must be a solely audience-led experience.
I led my team of three into a project based on the pillars of education, sustainability, and efficiency. Building a brandbook from the ground up, we curated an experience to draw users into the park and gain something a little deeper than they might expect. We decided to pull from what the park already had so much of, which was the great outdoors. We found in our research that this campground tended to play towards everything around the piece of land, and not what it truly was.
Throughout our journey, we found that the project was much deeper than “make us a few pretty signs”, and more of a revitalization of personality and audience connection.
THE BOOKLETS
Something we noticed right away when visiting the Lake was the lack of connection to the natural world. There were so many resources for activities in the surrounding areas, but not as many that utilized the natural environment. We had a new goal!
These easy-to-transport adventure guides were the first step in our campers’ journey to connecting with the outdoors. Accessible to all ages, these guides provide fundamental insights into a variety of different topics that can be chosen by campers at the beginning of their journeys. With the help of the eye spy tools designed by me, campers can use their guides to get them engaged and excited about the outside!
The process for designing these booklets was a laborous yet rewarding process. I fully illustrated a total of five booklets on different topics and made corresponding layouts for each page. Teammates who helped with background research to fill out the typography and give us more insight into what this environment had to offer.
These booklets represent the start of our campers’ journey through the park and act as the perfect tool to guide users without putting them on a strict path.
EYE SPY
WAYFINDING
Once our campers get out into the wild, we set up a few guiding features to keep them engaged and excited. Throughout the park, various signage will prompt users to look for certain elements that they can learn about in their booklets.
Smaller signage will be placed more frequently with quick facts and quips about noted elements, while larger signage can be found in larger landmark areas. This larger signage asks users questions about the surrounding area, once again utilizing knowledge from their booklets. A cute slide reveal on the sign allows for a satisfying aha moment.
The main goal of this signage is to bring campers back into nature and encourage them to look up in a thought-provoking way. We also wanted to call attention to Raystown’s unique access to fluara, fuana, and the gorgeous night sky.
THE END OF THE TRAIL
The travelers have finally reached the end of their journey. Whether it was a short day trip or an extensive camping weekend, they're feeling refreshed (and maybe a little tired) from their educational & relaxing. journeys. But oh no, not back to work yet! Our users have the opportunity to put their new knowledge to the test with a quick quiz. If they can show what they know, campers can earn their very own specialized patches.
Additionally, regardless of their success, campers can stop at the gift shop for our take-home items, which let you bring Raystown with you, even if you just wanna stay outdoors.
Some of these deliverables could also be obtained at the beginning of the journey and used throughout their adventure as well!