Our Work — Exhibits That Argue Their Own Case

Case studies

Three builds, start to finish.

Zoos & Aquariums · Utah's Hogle Zoo · Salt Lake City, UT

Creekside Playground

built for all seasons →

The challenge

The zoo needed a large-scale nature playscape that could take year-round outdoor weather and heavy daily visitor loads — without reading as an off-the-shelf playground you could find at any park.

What we did together

Co-designed a custom creek-side play environment with zoo staff, engineered for outdoor durability and maintenance access, then fabricated and installed it with our own crew.

What it delivered

Opened May 12, 2016, with a mayoral ribbon-cutting · Sensory wall for kids on the autism spectrum, fully wheelchair accessible · A decade of year-round service — still on the zoo’s attractions page in 2026

" The Creekside Play Area is a shaded play area that overlooks Emigration Creek. This play area is the perfect place for kids to connect with nature and for parents to relax after a long day at the zoo.”

— Utah’s Hogle Zoo, hoglezoo.org · the zoo’s public description, a decade after opening

Libraries · Douglas County Libraries · Parker, CO

Plants & Pollinators

the busiest room in the building →

Opening day at Plants and Pollinators — families and kids fill the flower-arch play space

The challenge

Libraries kept buying wood-framed children's installations that deteriorated in three to five years. This library wanted a play-and-learn space that would genuinely last — and reflect its own community, not a catalog.

What we did together

Designed a giant-scale pollinator world — including an oversized climb-in apple — using materials engineered for high-traffic public abuse, co-developed with library staff and their community.

What it delivered

Sponsored by Tagawa Gardens · One of six playscapes DCL has grown district-wide since our first build for the system in 2023 · Four of the six came out of our shop

" Our playscapes are an essential part of our approach to early literacy, using imaginative play to spark integrated cognitive, physical, social and emotional learning for young children.”

— Amy Fischer, Director of Customer Experience, Douglas County Libraries, DCL press release

Science Centers · The Works Museum · Bloomington, MN

Design Studio

their vision, carried forward →

The challenge

A science museum with a sophisticated internal team had already done strong early concept work. They didn't need a design firm to start over — they needed a partner to honor that work and carry it to the floor.

What we did together

Embedded with the museum's exhibit staff, refined their concepts into build-ready design, prototyped the interactives with real visitors, and fabricated an open-ended engineering space designed for repeat visits.

What it delivered

Opened June 2025 as the anchor of the museum’s transformed gallery · Burns & McDonnell Foundation took the leadership sponsor role · A transformation backed by 3M, CenterPoint Energy Foundation, and Emerson — our second build for The Works, after The House (2023)

" Ultimately, our transformation will increase our impact ensuring more children have access to engineering experiences that spark learning, build the engineering habits of mind, and inspire career dreams.”

— Jill Measells, CEO, The Works Museum, FY2024 impact report