Belmont University, Fisher Center for the Performing Arts

A school known for its prowess in music and the arts, located in the center of Music City, USA, Belmont University needed a performance venue worthy of its talented student body. The new Fisher Center for the Performing Arts joins the Massey Performing Arts Center, Troutt Theater, and McAfee Concert Hall to create the most extensive suite of venues of any other institution of higher education. In further commitment to its student body, Belmont University designed the facility in accordance with LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards 

This new 155,000 SF facility enables Belmont to host and perform from their home campus for all future events. In addition to student showcases and guest performances, the University hosts the annual Christmas at Belmont Live from Nashville annual concert, a globally streamed event with performances by students and professional artists. To accommodate events on this scale, the Center houses a 1,727-seat European style performance hall, a grand lobby, and two event spaces that can hold more than 900 guests when combined with the lobby. Equipped for any performance, including concerts, plays, operas, dance productions, and musical theatre, the Center hosts rehearsal space, dressing rooms, and technical facilities to support stage productions.  

The project followed very stringent acoustical and aesthetic requirements that were achieved within a strict budget. To host productions of varying types and volumes, from major productions to intimate performances, the facility was designed for both acoustical and amplified sound which incorporates under floor air to move sound across the room. The audience experience is completed by the opulent atmosphere of the performance hall, which is reminiscent of the great concert halls and stages of Europe.  

The utilities and support equipment of the new building were installed with energy and cost efficiency in mind. Our team of building optimization and sustainability specialists worked directly with the design team to consider how each system could be maximized to decrease energy and water usage. One creative solution incorporated a thermal ice storage system to offset peak cooling energy loads from high-demand periods. Rather than pulling cool air in the heat of the day when the HVAC system is at its highest demand, the system freezes ice at night at a lower electrical rate to later cool down the water used in the HVAC. The thoughtful and sustainable design of the building enabled the Center to achieve both LEED certification and a monetary rebate from the Tennessee Valley Authority.  

The Fisher Center was completed as a showstopper project, both elevating the status of Belmont University as a leader in performing arts while exceeding state and national energy use standards. Working directly with the school to perform LEED® consulting, energy modeling, building life-cycle assessment, and commissioning services, our project team became a key player in the overall production. With this stunning new venue, Belmont University can continue to support productions for the Nashville community and the world.