Arcturis is honored to work with Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis (BGCSTL) to create the organization’s new Teen Center for Excellence. One of the first such centers in the country, the center will:
“…enrich our children’s lives and the city by helping its youth build strong character, graduate from high school with a plan for life and become productive citizens.”
-Dr. Flint Fowler, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis President
The 27,000 SF new construction building is located in Ferguson, Missouri. By building the center here, the organization will create a positive environment in a community belabored with difficult realities and negative national press. In collaboration with the client’s vision, Arcturis’ goal was to design a bright and engaging environment for the organization’s deserving youth, ages 12-18. The location of the new center is not only an important goal for the club but also a way to elevate the entire community. Situating the building as close to the street as possible activates the street, draws people in, and connects the project to the surrounding neighborhood. Obscured glazing around the gym allows for activity on the interior to be seen from the street edge while still maintaining a level of privacy. As the first piece of new construction in the area, this will be the cornerstone for future development.
Every design decision was made to respect the club’s needs regarding budget, durability, and overall function. The Teen Center contains a basketball court, teaching kitchen, music studio, drama studio, auditorium, intellectual commons, innovation center, game room, fitness center, art room, and staff offices. Locating the intellectual commons at the center of the building maximizes the amount programmed spaces creating an internal atrium. White walls and raw materials are used to allow the interior to act as a blank canvas for the club while exposed structure and unique details allow teens to see nearly every building component. Bright vibrant pops of color are carried through to the interior on strategic architectural elements and furniture. Colorful metal window surrounds on the second floor dictate specific functions within the building allowing natural light to fill each space.
Arcturis is so proud to work with such an amazing organization that does so much for our community. As a team we have loved seeing the building come to life and we look forward to seeing the teens in the space!
Construction is currently in progress:
