The Adaptive Reuse of Brookline Teen Center

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The Brookline Teen Center (BTC) is a successful example of adaptive reuse success story and collaboration between architects, construction professionals, and end-users—teenagers. The project converted a 98-year-old, 13,350 SF parking garage into a dynamic space for youth engagement.

A new vertical circulation tower creates a prominent entry, while the interior takes advantage of the raw, exposed structure of the original building, creating a durable and appropriate environment for its new occupants. Designed with sustainability in mind, BTC is LEED Silver certified.BTC offers a wide range of youth programming and features a cafe, game room, recording studio, computer lab, production room, multi-purpose rooms, half-court gym, and two-lane bowling alley.

Learning Objectives

1. Analyze the role of stakeholder engagement in designing new community initiatives, emphasizing collaborative relationships between architects, community members, and local organizations.
2. Evaluate a creative adaptive reuse project in architecture, understanding how this project transforms existing structures to meet contemporary needs.
3. Describe the long-term iterative design process in architecture, highlighting the importance of ongoing feedback and planning process.
4. Explore how connecting user identity to the building identity can foster a vibrant community environment.