The Council of Independent Colleges: Historic Campus Architecture Project

Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts

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Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts (general view), Bard College

Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts (detail), Bard College

Institution Name: Bard College
Original/Historic Place Name: Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts
Location on Campus: E or W of Cnty.103
Date(s) of Construction:

2003	original construction Gehry, Frank

Designer: Frank Gehry
Type of Place: Individual building
Style: Postmodern (Glossary)
Significance: architecture, culture
Narrative: see below
References: see below

Materials:

Foundation: concrete

Walls: stucco, metal (stainless steel)

Roof: metal (stainless steel)

Function:

2003-present (2006)	theater (200 seat "black box" theater and a small studio theater)
2003-present (2006)	auditorium (800-900 seat; performing arts and for special summer programming, the Bard Music Festival and Summerscape)

Narrative:
Designed by internationally acclaimed architect Frank Gehry, the 110,000-square-foot Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College houses two theaters; four rehearsal studios for dance, theater, and music; and professional support facilities. Sosnoff Theater, an intimate 900-seat theater with an orchestra, parterre, and two balcony sections, features an orchestra pit for opera and an acoustic shell designed by Yasuhisa Toyota. Theater Two houses Bard's Theater and Dance Programs. The Fisher Center is also the home of the Bard Music Festival http://www.bard.edu/bmf and will play host to companies from the United States and abroad during Bard SummerScape http://summerscape.bard.edu, a festival of opera, theater, and dance. This building was opened in April, 2003 and was Gehry's first performing arts facility in this country.

References:

Adam, Hubertus. "Fisher Center for the Performing Arts, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson." Bauwelt 94 (August 8, 2003): 24-29.

Adams, Nicholas. "Frank O. Gehry: Bard College Performing Arts Centre, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York 2003." Casabella 67 (July/August 2003): 8-25, 99-100.

"Frank O. Gehry: Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, U.S.A., Design: 1997-2000, Construction: 2000-2003." GA Document 74 (June 2003): [78-91].

Pearman, Hugh. "Name Droppers." Blueprint no. 209 (July 2003): 52-57.

Stephens, Suzanne. "Frank Gehry Merges Intuitive and Rational Forms at Bard College to Create an Evocative Performing Arts Center." Architectural Record 191 (July 2003): 106-17.