Built on the shores of Lake Michigan in Evanston, Ill., the Ryan Fieldhouse opened to Northwestern University students in April. Now, the Walter Athletics Center, which is connected to the Ryan Fieldhouse and was also designed by Perkins+Will, has opened as well.
The four-story Walter Athletics Center houses academic and professional development support services for more than 500 student athletes, a nutrition center and dining facility, two sports performance centers, a sports medicine and athletic training hub, sport-specific locker rooms for eight varsity teams, and office space for coaches and administrators. Additionally, the building includes a three-story LED screen with images of Northwestern’s 19 athletic programs, interactive touchscreens throughout, and wall panels with black and white images of athletes in action.
Exterior from North. James Steinkamp/James Steinkamp Photography.
A covered terrace wraps around the eastern and southern facades of the new facility to visually connect the building to the Chicago Skyline. The south and east sides of the Center overlook the outdoor football practice field and the soccer, lacrosse, and field hockey stadium.
See Also: New living/learning facility at the University of Illinois at Chicago breaks ground
A major goal of the new facility was to integrate student athletes more completely into campus life. The Center brings remote training facilities to the main campus, all near residence halls and classroom buildings. Separate, secure entrances were designed to accommodate different users such as football and Olympic sports athletes, visitors for events, staff, faculty, administration, and coaches.
Perkins+Will designed the space in collaboration with HOK. Also on the Build team was SmithGroup (civil engineer and landscape architect), WSP USA (structural engineer), and AEI Affiliated Engineers (mechanical engineer).
Ryan Fieldhouse from Southeast corner. James Steinkamp/James Steinkamp Photography.
South lobby of Walter Athletics Center. James Steinkamp/James Steinkamp Photography.
Olympic Sports Corridor. James Steinkamp/James Steinkamp Photography.
Related Stories
University Buildings | Feb 18, 2015
Preparing for the worst: Campus security since Virginia Tech
Seven years after the mass shootings at Virginia Tech, colleges and universities continue to shake up their emergency communications and response capabilities to shootings and other criminal threats.
University Buildings | Feb 17, 2015
BD+C exclusive: How security is influencing campus design and construction
Campus crime—whether real or perceived—presents Building Teams with more opportunities for early-stage consultation with university clients.
Architects | Feb 11, 2015
Shortlist for 2015 Mies van der Rohe Award announced
Copenhagen, Berlin, and Rotterdam are the cities where most of the shortlisted works have been built.
| Jan 7, 2015
University of Chicago releases proposed sites for Obama library bid
There are two proposed sites for the plan, both owned by the Chicago Park District in Chicago’s South Side, near the university’s campus in Hyde Park, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
| Jan 2, 2015
Construction put in place enjoyed healthy gains in 2014
Construction consultant FMI foresees—with some caveats—continuing growth in the office, lodging, and manufacturing sectors. But funding uncertainties raise red flags in education and healthcare.
BIM and Information Technology | Dec 28, 2014
The Big Data revolution: How data-driven design is transforming project planning
There are literally hundreds of applications for deep analytics in planning and design projects, not to mention the many benefits for construction teams, building owners, and facility managers. We profile some early successful applications.
| Dec 28, 2014
AIA course: Enhancing interior comfort while improving overall building efficacy
Providing more comfortable conditions to building occupants has become a top priority in today’s interior designs. This course is worth 1.0 AIA LU/HSW.
| Nov 3, 2014
An ancient former post office in Portland, Ore., provides an even older art college with a new home
About seven years ago, The Pacific Northwest College of Art, the oldest art college in Portland, was evaluating its master plan with an eye towards expanding and upgrading its campus facilities. A board member brought to the attention of the college a nearby 134,000-sf building that had once served as the city’s original post office.
| Oct 16, 2014
Perkins+Will white paper examines alternatives to flame retardant building materials
The white paper includes a list of 193 flame retardants, including 29 discovered in building and household products, 50 found in the indoor environment, and 33 in human blood, milk, and tissues.