Perkins+Will designed the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Fieldhouse and Mark and Kimbra Walter Athletics Center at Northwestern University’s Evanston Campus in Evanston, Illinois.

The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Fieldhouse and Mark and Kimbra Walter Athletics Center is a transformational athletic and recreation expansion on Northwestern University’s Evanston campus. In response to the client’s goal to attract, develop and inspire “world class student-athletes,” Perkins+Will is incorporating the latest trends in fitness design to promote student wellness and social interaction in this new facility.

The Center provides the Athletics and Recreation Department with state-of-the-art training spaces, sports medicine facilities, locker rooms, practice and competition fields, dining hall, and administrative offices. A large indoor multipurpose fieldhouse provides space for varsity athletics, recreation, club sports, intramurals and major events. The site, located at the northern edge of the campus, sits alongside university academic facilities as well as student housing. Taking advantage of its prominent location that offers unobstructed views of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline, the new complex not only integrates the existing athletic and recreational facilities, wellness center, and parking garage, but also creates a sustainable environment that is sensitive to the site’s historic and natural setting.

Architect: Perkins+Will
General Contractor: Barton Malow/Walsh Construction
Photography: James Steinkamp