Renssalear Polytechnic Institute
Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center
Troy, New York/USA
Designed by Grimshaw Architects, the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (eMPAC) comprises a diverse
range of specialized spaces for artistic production and performance. These include a 1200-seat concert hall, 400-seat theater, two
studios for performance art, rehearsal studios, professional audio-video recording and post-production facilities, and a digital
broadcasting center.
We created a hierarchy of lighting solutions to fulfill precise technical criteria and complement the unique, refined industrial
aesthetic of each space. In the formal concert hall, halogen downlights are carefully concealed within the architectural detailing,
accenting sculpted acoustic wall panels and providing ambient illumination. In the theatres, a more informal approach is taken, with
exposed industrial fixtures mounted to catwalks. Flexibility characterizes the experimental studio spaces, where clamp-mounted halogen
floodlights reside alongside theatrical lighting fixtures, mounted to pipes above the accessible, perforated metal ceilings.
Inspired by the institute’s spirit of innovation, we explored innovative lighting strategies were explored, such as using
energy-efficient, long life solid-state technology to illuminate the concert hall. This unprecedented solution involved intensive
research and development in close collaboration with industry. The lighting solutions were planned to integrate with the iconic
architecture and fully coordinate with stringent acoustic requirements, proposing a showcase of intertwined technological and
artistic expression.
