Houston Field House is a multi-purpose arena located on the campus of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, New York.

Popular legend holds that Houston Field House was previously an airplane or dirigible hangar for the United States armed forces during World War II.

One aspect of the VEFP was to offer buildings designated as "war surplus" to colleges and academic institutions who applied for them.

An investigation sponsored by the Board of Trustees discovered the warehouse facility in Rhode Island and applied under the VEFP to bring it to campus, despite the fact that its original design was not satisfactory for the creation of an arena.

On October 13, Houston officially opened the building as the RPI Field House as part of a ceremony honoring the Institute's 125th anniversary.

A month later, on November 12, 1949, the RPI Field House hosted its first event, an Interfraternity Ball, with music performed by Elliot Lawrence and his Orchestra.

On December 3, 1949, the first sporting event in the Field House's history took place as RPI defeated the New York State Maritime Academy, 55–43, in basketball.

From 1912 to 1938 (with the exception of 1937), the team played on an outdoor rink built every winter on campus along Sage Avenue, at the current location of Anderson Field.

On January 10, 1950, the "Engineers" under head coach Ned Harkness played their first game at home since 1938, dropping an 8–2 contest to Middlebury.

[2] In its first two decades, it played host to more than 300 theatrical and musical events, countless hockey games, and several commencement ceremonies.

Owing to its origins as a military warehouse, most views were obstructed at least some angle between the rink and the seats due to large support columns that held up the Field House's roof.

Traditionally, the line began sometime during late July or early August prior to the beginning of Fall classes and continued until tickets went on sale in mid-September.

Today's NCAA tournament games all take place at neutral ice sites with a minimum capacity higher than that of the Field House.

In turn, this led to the creation of what is today known as "the RPI rule" nationwide, which prohibits fans from bringing artificial noisemakers into NCAA events.

Before the opening of the Times Union Center in Albany, the Houston Field House was the Capital District's main venue for concerts.

Recent guests have included The Offspring, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Marilyn Manson, Sting, Bob Dylan, John Mayer, moe., Counting Crows, Matchbox Twenty, Guster & O.A.R., among others.

[citation needed] On the eastern side of the Field House is a stage, upon which "America's Pep Band" plays during hockey games.

[6] Additionally, as part of the renovations, solar panels were added installed on the roof to supply power to the building through a government grant.

The indie pop duo Matt & Kim recorded a Harlem Shake video during a concert at the Houston Field House on February 11, 2013.