20 November 2010

Truly Extraordinary

EMPAC, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center, was the host site for a recent Society of College and University Planning one day conference.  What an overwhelming experience!

Some think it looks like a greenhouse that tried to swallow a boat (most don't), but that's not the lasting impression.  RPI describes the building in matter-of-fact manner:

EMPAC’s 220,000 square-foot center is a signature work of architecture that brings together four main venues as well as many smaller studios and lab spaces under one roof. All can be used independently and simultaneously, allowing EMPAC to present events, host student gatherings, and dedicate space to research and residencies – all at one time. EMPAC includes many firsts and exceptional attributes in the fields of acoustics, structural integrity, theatrical presentation, and digital media. High-bandwidth computer, audio and video networks create a technical infrastructure unlike any other performing arts centers. And, when linked to Rensselaer’s CCNI supercomputer, EMPAC’s superb venues provide opportunities for research that surpass those of most other media research centers.

The description doesn't begin to convey its wonder.  Make it a destination.  Soon.

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