BPL Teen Central — Boston Public Library
BPL Teen Central, a dedicated teen space within the Boston Public Library's Central Library in Copley Square, Boston, Massachusetts, designed by Arrowstreet and opened in 2015 as part of the library's renovation.
| Venue | Boston Public Library |
|---|---|
| Project type | New Exhibition |
| Status | Completed |
| Year completed | 2015 |
Credits
| Firm | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|
| William Rawn Associates, Architects | Architecture | Architect for the Central Library renovation . |
| Arrowstreet | Exhibit Design | Interior design of a dedicated teen space: gaming lounge, maker lab, teen collections, and lounge areas, including sourcing, fabrication, and installation of custom fixtures and artwork. |
Description
Arrowstreet designed a teen-focused space intended to "attract teens and encourage them to engage, socialize, feel safe, and learn," incorporating a gaming lounge, maker lab, teen collections, and lounge seating in an "edgy aesthetic" using repurposed materials — discarded wooden card catalog drawers, manual typewriters, defunct video game cartridges, and hand-cut carpet tiles. Teen usage reportedly increased five-fold within four years of opening, with programming growing from 12 to 21 monthly sessions.