Level One Lobby, Blue Wonders & Black Tip Reef - National Aquarium

As the in-house exhibit designer at the National Aquarium, I played an important role in the long-range planning of the architectural and exhibit renovations for the original Pier 3 Pavilion. I started by developing an in-depth synthesis of exit surveys, market research, and a thorough analysis of the visitor experience to develop a Space Planning Document. The product was used to help make decisions at the executive level on which projects to prioritize in order to most effectively meet the needs of both the Aquarium’s mission, visitor expectations and the needs of the aging exhibits. The first few projects to emerge as a result of the space planning work was the concept design for the Level One Lobby, the schematic design of the rebranded, Blue Wonders entrance, and the schematic design of Black Tip Reef, winner of the AZA Award of Significant Achievement in Exhibit Design.