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Tuesday, April 22, 2014

How Green is BAM Fisher?

by Rebekah Gordon

BAM's newest building, the Fisher, is also our most eco-friendly, meaning we worked with the architects to build and run a building that uses less materials and energy. Here's what makes it so very green:

BAM gets the gold. The BAM Fisher is the first theater in New York City to be certified LEED Gold in the new construction category. LEED® stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. A LEED rating shows when a building is particularly sustainable—a bit like seeing the recycle sign on a bottle or can.

Raise the roof. Did you notice the front (or façade) of the building when you pass by 321 Ashland Pl.? It’s been the same since 1926, when it was a Salvation Army. The next time you visit, notice the recycled materials everywhere, like the steel in the columns—more than half is totally recycled! The construction team recycled and reused the old building’s infrastructure and simply built new floors on top. Watch a time lapse video of the construction here.

Photo courtesy of the BAM Hamm Archives



Flower power. All plants in the Stutz Gardens, on the BAM Fisher Rooftop Terrace, are native species that don’t need much water. These plants support indigenous and migratory wildlife and they thrive only on rainwater, which helps reduce storm water runoff.


Wood tested, Earth approved. The BAM Fisher Hillman Studio, one of BAM’s rehearsal and performance spaces, has floors made of certified wood from a responsibly managed forest. No animals were harmed or habitats threatened when we sourced the ground our guests walk and dance on.



Royal visit this weekend. Everyone’s favorite interplanetary horticulturalist The Little Prince will be here to help us celebrate the Earth and all its goodness on Friday, April 25th and Saturday, April 26th! Students and families will learn about environmental sustainability through hands-on activities and multimedia explorations. The program will feature live storytelling in English and French, an interactive illuminated chalkboard mural inspired by the story, and craft projects using recycled materials, led by New York’s premier reuse center, Materials for the Arts.

Courtesy of Estate of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry


Photo courtesy of Estate of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry




Rebekah Gordon works in BAM Education & Humanities and is chair of BAM's Green Committee. She loves participating in the arts and giving people the opportunity to experience its impact.

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