Arsenal Yards

Public Realm / TENANT ENGAGEMENT / CULTURAL PROGRAMMING

Client

Boylston Properties
+ The Wilder Companies

Location

Watertown, MA

Square Ft.

1,000,000+

Services

Opportunity Assessment
Concept Creation
Art Curation
Artist Management

Summary

What began as the Watertown Arsenal during the civil war, became the Arsenal Mall in the 1980s, which in turn became the beginning of Arsenal Yards, Watertowns newest urban mixed use development.

Our work with Arsenal Yards began by helping Arsenal Yards survey the local community engagement and activation landscape, understanding options surrounding messaging and target user engagement, and inform larger communication and experiential activation strategies for the multi – phased re development and reinvention of the former Arsenal Mall site.

The Challenge

Create programming and public art that illustrates the future of the Arsenal Yards property and mitigate some of the challenges for visitors of a multiphase, active construction site.

The Outcome

After an in-depth study of the community and surrounding market, Isenberg Projects created a robust programmatic and public art plan to shift perceptions of the property’s past life as the Arsenal Mall. In late 2019, three artists were commissioned to create four murals at the property. Isenberg Projects chose each artist to represent various factions of the local community, while simultaneously bringing in a national heavy-hitter as a press driver.

Future programs will include family friend events and attractions for office and residential tenants.