Brooklyn Academy of Music New York, New York
The Brooklyn Academy of Music is a performing arts venue in Brooklyn, New York City, known as a center for progressive and avant-garde performance. It presented its first performance in 1861 and began operations in its present location in 1908.
Location
New York, New York
Sector
Arts
Service
Architecture
Client
Brooklyn Academy of Music
Status
Completed
Size
30,000 SF
Renewal of the BAM public spaces was achieved by juxtaposing new with old, contrasting technological innovation with the ornate details of this historic building. These improvements are an essential part of the larger master plan which dramatically increases the quality and intensity of engagement with its community. The project’s four cinemas hold 300, 216, 156, and 111 seats.Transformation of the Lepercq Space, once a grand ballroom, into the BAM Café restores its public purpose. For those attending main-stage productions, enhanced food and beverage service and new restrooms are valued amenities. BAM café is also a destination for non-ticket holders who enjoy live music performances, lectures, dialogues, and casual dining.
A major initiative at BAM involved reconfiguring the Helen Owen Carey Playhouse into a four-screen cinema. Two cinemas were created at street level and two at the mezzanine level. A harmonious fusion of new and historic elements is announced in the concession area. Sleek refreshment stands are immersed between the intricately patterned arched entry vaults and elaborate wood detailing of the former inner lobby. Design of the cinemas unites the building’s existing ornate plaster proscenium arch and coffered ceiling with contemporary cinema seating and state-of-the art sound and projection equipment.
New York Construction News: Rehabilitation Project of the Year, 2003
Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce: Building Brooklyn Award, 2001
