Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center

The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC) is a multi-venue arts center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, United States, which opened on October 3, 2008. "EMPAC" is also the name of the media and electronic arts program which is housed in the new building.

The director of EMPAC is Johannes Goebel. He was previously the director of the Institute for Music and Acoustics, which he founded at the Center for Art and Media Technology (ZKM) in Karlsruhe, Germany. Curators are Helene Lesterlin (Dance), Kathleen Forde (Visual Arts), and Micah Silver (Music). The building is named after Curtis Priem, co-founder of NVIDIA and RPI Class of 1982, who donated $40 million to the Institute in 2004.

Construction

The institute announced plans for the construction of a new performance hall in fall of 2001 with construction costs originally slated at $50 million. [cite web|url=http://empac.rpi.edu/news/2003/070501.html|title= Innovative in Form, Pioneering in Function, An Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center Takes Shape at Rensselaer |date=07-05-01 |publisher=EMPAC Press Relase|accessdate=2008-09-16] After a design competition and discussions with architectural firms, the plans were revised with a new construction cost of $141 million and completion date of some time in 2006. [cite web|url=http://poly.rpi.edu/article_view.php3?view=2003&part=1|title=Plans for EMPAC reviewed, revised|last=Robertson|first=Scott|date=02-12-2003|publisher=The Polytechnic|accessdate=2008-09-16] While most agreed that RPI needed improved music and arts facilities, the expanded size and construction cost was seen as unnecessary expensive by many students and faculty. [cite web|url=http://poly.rpi.edu/article_view.php3?view=1526&part=1|title=EMPAC construction hits unexpected costs|last=Cummings|first=Nievalyn|date=05-01-2002|publisher=The Polytechnic|accessdate=2008-09-16]

The project broke ground on September 19, 2003. [cite web|url=http://empac.rpi.edu/news/2003/091503.html|title= EMPAC Groundbreaking on Sept. 19 |date=09-15-03 |publisher=EMPAC Press Relase|accessdate=2008-09-16] During 2004 the institute began a large capital campaign and Rensselaer alumnus and trustee Curtis Priem '82 donated $40 million in an unrestricted gift. RPI decided to officially name the project in his honor. [cite web|url=http://empac.rpi.edu/news/2004/2004_0911.html|title=Rensselaer Announces $1 Billion Capital Campaign — the Largest in the University's History|date=09-11-04|publisher=EMPAC Press Release|accessdate=2008-09-16] Additionally, the institute received a $1 million gift for EMPAC programs from alumnus David Jaffe in 2006. [cite web|url=http://empac.rpi.edu/news/2006/2006_0608.html|title= Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Receives $1 Million Gift To Support EMPAC|date=06-08-06|accessdate=2008-09-16] Over 100,000 cubic yards of earth were evacuated from the hill to make room for the structure.cite journal|date=9/2008|title=Bold Experiment|publisher=Rensselaer Alumni Magazine|accessdate=2008-09-10] RPI has had problems in the past with the instability of the ground on the hillside, a phenomenon known as mass wasting. To prevent the EMPAC from "sliding down the hill", 215 rock anchors where drilled into the ground to stabilize the foundations. At over 210 feet long, they are some of the largest anchors in North America.

In September 2005, the institute hosted "EMPAC 360: On Site + Sound", a multimedia and performing arts presentation to celebrate the midpoint of construction. The event was attended by over 3000 people from the region.cite web|url=http://empac.rpi.edu/news/2006/2006_0101.html|title= EMPAC 360: On Site + Sound chosen as most exciting Capital Region arts event of 2005!|date=01-01-06|accessdate=2008-09-16] The expected completion date was moved to sometime in 2008. In January 2008, RPI commissioned lighting designer Jennifer Tipton to create a large lighting display called "Light Above the Hudson". Operational for several weeks, the display drew attention to the center with a 300 by 100 foot array of multicolored lights and search lights pointed into the sky. [cite journal|last=Dalton|first=Joseph|date=01-13-08|title=Night Light: Designer Jennifer Tipton illuminates RPI's experimental media center|journal=The Times Union|url=http://www.empac.rpi.edu/graphics/events/2008/spring/tipton/tipton_timesunionWeb.pdf]

The grand opening celebrations is being held on three weekends from October 3–October 19, 2008, with all events free to the public. The inaugural concert on October 4 included the Albany Symphony Orchestra with pianist Per Tengstrand, the International Contemporary Ensemble and Vox Vocal Ensemble. Performances were also given by the Norwegian group Verdensteatret and the Japanese collective Dumb Type. October 11th will feature Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, and October 18th will feature the Ramsey Lewis Trio. Each weekend also contains numerous lectures and workshops including pianist Cecil Taylor and professors Pauline Oliveros and Neil Rolnick. Studio 1 hosts a special 360 degree film by The Wooster Group entitled "There is Still Time.. Brother" throughout the event. update after|2008|10|19

Architecture and facilities

The design architect for the EMPAC is Nicholas Grimshaw & Partners, London and New York, designers of The Eden Project, the Royal College of Art, and International Terminal Waterloo. The architect of record is the New York City architectural firm Davis Brody Bond.

The main concert hall seats 1,200, and has been lauded as one of the most acoustically perfect concert halls in the world. The acoustical firm Kirkegaard Associates was contracted to work on the system. Extensive computer modeling was done of the ceiling canopy before construction to optimize the transmission of sound waves. [cite web|url=http://empac.rpi.edu/research/ceiling.html|title=Modeling the Transmissive Ceiling Canopy|publisher=RPI|accessdate=2008-09-10] EMPAC is the first venue to use a Nomex fabric for a ceiling canopy to reflect sound waves. The exterior of the main concert hall is lined with 36,000 square feet of Western Red Cedar. Grown in sustainable forests in British Columbia, the wood was chosen for its fire-retardant properties.

EMPAC is also home to a 400-seat theater with an 80' x 40' stage, 60' fly tower, computer controlled rigging, and one of the largest projection screens in New York. There are two main multi-purpose studio spaces. Studio 1 is convert|3500|sqft|m2|sing=on and has 40 foot high ceilings, and Studio 2 is convert|2500|sqft|m2|sing=on with convert|28|ft|m|sing=on-high ceilings. There also a convert|1400|sqft|m2|sing=on rehersal studio called Studio Beta, and 4 Artist-in-Residence studios. Studio 1 and Studio 2 are lined with acoustical panels to remove sound. Different panels are designed to absorb different frequencies of sound, so all the stray noise is completely removed. [cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/science/23troy.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2|title=Art and Science, Virtual and Real, Under One Big Roof |last=Overbye|first=Dennis|date=09-22-08|accessdate=2008-09-23] A 360 degree projection system is being developed to create a "holodeck" environment, which will be used for virtual reality research and dynamic video presentations. The current system has a 40-foot-round, 15 foot tall circular screen which surrounds viewers, who either can walk around or view from swivel chairs. Special 360 degree cameras are used for filming, along with microphones which record directionality. The sound can then be played back on an array of surround-sound speakers, allowing sound projection from any angle towards the audience. [cite web|url=http://www.rpi.edu/about/inside/issue/v2n15/empac-research.html|title=Research at the Intersection of the Sciences and the Arts|date=09-19-08|publisher=Inside Rensselaer|accessdate=2008-09-23]

A 20,000 square foot glass wall lines the north side of the building. A water/glycol mix circulating through the steel support beams maintains an even temperature and limits condensation on the glass.

Gallery

References

External links

* [http://empac.rpi.edu/ EMPAC Main Page]
* [http://www.rpi.edu/dept/NewsComm/sub/empacpreview/render-1.html Simulated Pictures of the EMPAC building]