A Gateway to Indiana's Racing Legacy 

The Clear Creek Welcome Center introduces visitors to the state through one of its most iconic traditions, the Indianapolis 500. Designed for the Indiana Department of Transportation, the project sets out to create an experience that reflects the energy, history, and cultural significance of racing in Indiana.

More Than a Typical Stop

 

A standard welcome center would fall short of capturing the speed, excitement, and legacy tied to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The challenge was to translate that intensity into a built environment, turning a brief stop into something visitors can feel, not just pass through.

Designing Motion into the Architecture

The design expresses speed through form. Angled glass and metal brackets, paired with progressively scaled glass elements, create a forced perspective that evokes the sensation of an IndyCar passing at speed. Inside, metal and glass elements rise toward visitors, inspired by the Doppler effect, while moments like the dichroic glass Celebration Wall and the checkered flag façade embed tradition into the experience. Interactive elements, including a real IndyCar and a model of the speedway grounds, further connect visitors to the innovation and scale of racing.

An Experience That Stays With You

The Welcome Center transforms a quick stop into a memorable introduction to Indiana. By translating motion, tradition, and innovation into architecture, it creates a lasting sense of place that visitors carry with them long after they leave.