The Egg is a performing arts centre located in Albany, within New York’s Empire State Plaza, designed by the North American firm Harrison & Abramovitz. Construction began in 1966 and was completed twelve years later, in 1978, with the aim of hosting a broad range of cultural events and performances for New York State residents. Drawing inspiration from Brazilian modernism, the domed, egg-like concrete structure stands out as a striking counterpoint within an otherwise rational urban ensemble. Surrounded by state government towers set in an open plaza and clad in stone, the building’s exposed concrete, its seemingly suspended form, and pronounced curved geometry position it as a late example of modernist Brutalism. The venue is currently undergoing restoration and, after six months of renovations, is set to reopen on January 8, 2026, in what has been described as a “refreshed and reimagined” space.
구조적으로 The Egg은 중앙의 콘크리트 주줄에 의해 지지되며 지하로 6층까지 뻗어 현장에 건물을 깊이 고정한다. 껍질의 일부로 부어지는 강하고 보강된 콘크리트 보가 건물의 독특한 형태를 유지시키고, 이 보가 건물의 무게를 지지대에 분산시켜 광장을 향해 건물이 매달려 있는 듯한 인상을 만들어 낸다. 이 공학적 해법은 구조물이 광장 위에 매달려 있는 것처럼 보이게 하여 조각적 존재감을 강화한다. 건물 안에는 두 개의 극장, Lewis A. Swyer Theatre와 Kitty Carlisle Hart Theatre가 자리한다. Swyer Theatre의 좌석은 450석으로 구성되어 실내악 콘서트, 카바레, 강연, 멀티미디어 프리젠테이션, 솔로 공연 및 교육 프로그램을 위해 사용된다. Hart Theatre는 982석으로 더 큰 규모의 프로덕션을 소화하며 뮤지컬 공연, 무용 및 음악 콘서트를 포함한다.
대략 건물의 절반가량은 Hart Theatre를 위한 라운지 공간으로 기능하며, 세미나·리셉션·공연 후 모임 및 소규모 공연을 위한 용도로도 사용된다. 건물의 외형이 시사하는 바와 같이 내부에는 거의 직선이나 날카로운 모서리가 없다. 대신 벽이 위로 곡선을 그리며 오목한 천장과 만나고, 벽면을 따라 배치된 페어우드 베니어가 공간에 온기를 더하고 극장 곳곳의 음향을 강화한다. 원래는 정부 회의를 위한 일반 목적의 강당으로 고안되었고, The Egg는 뉴욕 주의 소유이며 비영리 Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza Performing Arts Center Corporation이 관리한다.
The renovation project was led by the local firm Fred Basch Architect and included the replacement of seating, carpeting, and lighting in both theatrical and shared spaces. Work began in 2018 and required a temporary closure of the venue for the past six months. The renovation focused primarily on interior upgrades, including the installation of a fully automated LED lighting system designed to support complex productions. Accessibility improvements were also introduced, expanding accessible seating areas and restrooms in both theatres, which are now equipped with induction loop assistive listening systems. Together, these interventions reinforce the building’s original civic mission as part of a public cultural infrastructure aimed at expanding access to the performing arts across the state. The reopening will be marked by a free public ceremony on Thursday, January 8, featuring live music, an aerial performance, and open access to the renovated spaces.
In recent months, several iconic works of modern architecture have required renovation or significant maintenance. Since August 2025, debate has intensified in Dallas over the future of I. M. Pei & Partners’ Dallas City Hall, amid growing concerns about long-deferred maintenance and the need for major investment. Earlier this year, a citizen-led campaign proposed a new use for Kenzo Tange’s Kagawa Gymnasium, which is currently facing demolition. On a more optimistic note, Fountainhead, a house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, was recently purchased by the Mississippi Museum of Art (MMA) to ensure its preservation and open it to the public through guided tours. Meanwhile, the Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA) has launched a new research project and institutional collaboration on modern architecture in China, aiming to reframe the histories of modernism during the first three decades of the People’s Republic of China.
