BPL Teen Central

Two months before the Boston Public Library (BPL) planned to reopen after a major renovation by William Rawn Associates, the library invited Arrowstreet to create interiors for a new Teen Central space. Using the library’s established theme of “eco urban chic,” our graphic design and interior design studios collaborated on fast-track, budget-conscious strategies to quickly bring BPL’s vision to life.

Performing services for Interior Décor, Design Element Sourcing, Artwork Creation & Installation, and Fixtures & Finishes, our team embraced the edgy aesthetic and brought new thinking to interior design for gaming lounge, maker lab, teen collections, and lounge spaces. Our staff selected, sourced, assembled, and installed all interior design and art elements. They also took on production of many of the project’s more unique items and integrated BPL-sourced street signs, a large collection of manual typewriters, and an eclectic framed mirror. Hundreds of discarded wooden card catalog drawers inspired the creation of a distraction banding divider for a floor-to-ceiling interior window. Deconstructed drawer frames were suspended to create a collage of floating shelves. Old picture frames became an installation to encourage teams to display their artwork. Defunct video game cartridges formed a three-dimensional wall sculpture in the gaming lounge. For area rugs, the team pieced together and hand-cut carpet tiles on site. Purchased throw pillows coordinate with each lounge areas’ pink, green, and blue color scheme.

Teen Central is a dedicated space specially designed to attract teens and encourage them to engage, socialize, feel safe, and learn. Four years after its completion, the number of teens using the space each month has grown five-fold. Programs increased from 12/month for approximately 72 teen participants to 21 programs/month for 220. The space also boasts 1,200 uses of video gaming equipment and laptops, making it an active and vibrant after-school attraction.