The New York Times called it “the concert hall of the 21st century.” Standing at the corner of 8th Street and College Avenue on the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute campus in Troy, the Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center — EMPAC, to everyone who’s been inside it — is the kind of building that stops you mid-stride. Its exterior is a sweeping, sculptural mass of glass and Western Red Cedar, 36,000 square feet of sustainably harvested wood wrapping the structure like the hull of a ship. Designed by London-based Grimshaw Architects and opened in October 2008, the 220,000-square-foot facility was built not just to present art, but to rethink what a performance space can be.
A Building That Listens
What makes EMPAC extraordinary — and what separates it from virtually every other performing arts venue in Upstate New York — is its obsessive commitment to acoustic purity. The main concert hall seats 1,200 in a classic shoebox configuration, and its baseline noise level maxes out at 15 decibels. That makes it one of the quietest artistic presentation spaces on the planet. For context, a typical quiet library sits around 30-40 dB. EMPAC’s concert hall is quieter than a whisper.
The engineering behind that silence is remarkable. The performance spaces are acoustically isolated — literally suspended with gaps between walls and floors to prevent vibration transfer. Parts of the building sit on springs embedded in the foundation. Convex walls and shaped surfaces distribute sound so that performers or speakers can be positioned anywhere in the hall, not just on stage, blowing open traditional ideas about where music comes from in a room.
A fabric ceiling, developed specifically for EMPAC and used for the first time in any concert hall, serves both acoustic and aesthetic purposes. The result is a space where a solo cello sounds like it’s playing inside your chest and a full orchestra fills every cubic foot of air without a single dead spot.
Beyond the Concert Hall
EMPAC houses four distinct performance venues under one roof. Beyond the 1,200-seat concert hall, there’s a 400-seat theater designed for dance, opera, and multimedia work, plus three flexible performance studios equipped for everything from electronic music to experimental film. Recording and editing facilities round out the package, making EMPAC as much a production house as a presentation space.
The curatorial program reflects RPI’s identity as a research university. Since opening, EMPAC has supported the creation of more than 600 new works through residencies, commissions, partnerships, and premieres. The programming leans toward the experimental and interdisciplinary — this is where you’ll see a composer working with data visualization, a dance company performing with motion-capture technology, or a sound artist transforming the concert hall into an immersive environment. It’s not your typical Friday night concert lineup, and that’s entirely the point.
That said, EMPAC regularly hosts performances that appeal to broader audiences — orchestral concerts, jazz, world music, and visiting ensembles that take full advantage of the hall’s extraordinary acoustics. Check the calendar with an open mind. Some of the most memorable live music experiences in the Capital Region happen in this room.
The Architecture
Named for Curtis Priem — co-founder of NVIDIA and RPI Class of 1982 graduate, who donated $40 million toward its construction — EMPAC is LEED Silver certified and represents one of Grimshaw Architects’ most ambitious American projects. The building sits on the RPI campus hillside with commanding presence, its cedar cladding aging gracefully with the seasons. Inside, the concert hall’s woodwork evokes the craftsmanship of a fine musical instrument, which is fitting given what the room was designed to do.
The seats themselves are custom-designed by Poltrona Frau, the Italian luxury furniture maker. Every detail in this building was considered at a level that most venues never approach.
Getting There and Parking
EMPAC is located at the corner of 8th Street and College Avenue in Troy, NY 12180. For GPS, navigate to 50 8th Street, which brings you to the valet circle on the building’s west side. Two visitor parking spaces and two ADA spaces are available at the circle, providing zero-barrier access to the main lobby.
For most events, additional parking is available in the College Avenue parking garage, which opens to visitors after 5 PM on weekdays. Enter from the east (campus) side for fully accessible entry. Rideshare works well here — the drop-off point at 50 8th Street puts you right at the door. Bike racks are located at both the east and west entrances.
The box office can be reached at 518-276-3921. EMPAC also arranges parking and two-for-one tickets for wheelchair users and companions upon request.
Where to Eat Nearby
Downtown Troy is a five-minute drive (or a healthy walk downhill) and has become one of the Capital Region’s best dining neighborhoods. Nighthawks serves creative cocktails and a refined small-plates menu in a moody, art-deco-inspired space. Sunhee’s Farm and Kitchen offers Korean-inspired dishes made with local farm ingredients — one of the most distinctive restaurants in the region. And Lo Porto’s Ristorante Caffe is a Troy institution for classic Italian in a white-tablecloth setting.
Insider Tips
- Arrive early enough to walk the building. The architecture is worth experiencing before the lights go down.
- The College Avenue garage is your best bet for parking at evening events — the two visitor spaces at the valet circle fill fast.
- EMPAC’s programming skews experimental, but the concert hall’s acoustics make even unfamiliar music revelatory. Take a chance on something outside your comfort zone.
- Many events are free or deeply discounted for students. Check the EMPAC website for pricing before assuming it’s out of budget.
- Troy’s Saturday Farmers Market (May through October) is a great excuse to make a day of it if you’re catching an evening show.
For the full season calendar and tickets, visit empac.rpi.edu.