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Northwestern University Lakefill

The Technological Institute in 1977, after the construction of the Lakefill. Lindheimer Observatory is at top.

The Northwestern University Lakefill (formally known as the James Roscoe Miller Campus) is a large area of campus land that was reclaimed from Lake Michigan in 1962-1964 by creating a seawall of limestone blocks quarried in Illinois and Indiana and using landfill materials from the construction of the Port of Indiana. The Lakefill resulted from the university's need to expand the campus's physical footprint; Northwestern President J. Roscoe Miller received permission from the town of Evanston and the Illinois legislature (as well as many other groups) to reclaim 74 acres (30 hectares) of underwater land. This almost doubled the size of the previously 85 acre campus. In 1968, The Lakefill was expanded by an additional 10 acres on the southern end of the campus.

History and creation

Talks to expand the campus via lakefront had started in 1893 and were again brought up in 1930. It was not until October 1960 that the University formally announced their plans of expansion. Construction then started in July of 1962 following the city of Evanston’s final approval. Creation of the lakefill was reinforced through a need for the university to expand, but in a way that did not include crowding the campus with more buildings, or infringing on local Evanston land.

Expanding out towards the lake also came at a cheaper cost, estimated at around $113,000/acre to build out onto the lake versus around $300,000/acre to expand further into the city of Evanston.

Extensive state and local government cooperation was needed by the university in order to purchase and build upon the lakefront. Following unanimous approval by both the Illinois House and Senate, as well as then current governor Otto J. Kerner, the state of Illinois allowed Northwestern to purchase underwater property for $100 dollars an acre.

Following the purchase of the land, the university obtained permission from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on September 6, 1961, and finally began construction on the lakefill in July of 1962.

The scope of the project evolved into a 20 year plan, including the construction of multiple scholastic, gallery, and performance buildings, alongside space for recreational and athletic activities on the campus. The large pond within the middle of the lakefill was included not only for aesthetic purposes of the campus- but additionally serve as the cooling reserve for Northwestern’s Central Utility Plant. The placement of each aspect on the new lakefill were meant to unify both the north and south ends of campus, and the design of the paths was focused on creating both a relaxing environment and pedestrian oriented campus.

Features

The eastern portion of the lakefill consists of a peninsula, creating a small lagoon in the center of the new campus. The peninsula is designed as a park-like area with paths for jogging and biking.

The eastern shore of the lakefill facing Lake Michigan is composed of rocks intended to absorb waves from the lake. Those that remain above the waters are frequently painted, mostly by students of Northwestern. Students began painting the rocks in 1970, within a few years of the lakefill’s construction. Paintings include doodles, inside jokes, and several marriage proposals, and the messages carry an overall trend of optimism.

Several of the painted rocks on the shore of the lakefill

The lakefill is also a frequent gathering place on campus. The space is used to host events such as Dillo Day, an annual student-run music festival, and the local Relay for Life program every year. In the spring of 2016, a program called ART BOX was started to provide an area on the lakefill to be used by multiple groups across campus for smaller theatrical performances, musical performances, and art exhibits.

The lakefill has become an integral part of campus and student life as a space for unwinding, working out or coming together for these greater events and traditions. This was also shown when the winning idea for Northwestern’s Associate Student Government (ASG) 5K Initiative, an initiative introduced to improve student life on campus, in 2012 was the implementation of “WiFi on the Lakefill” after roughly 700 Northwestern students voted in a school-wide poll. The project was completed within the year.

Buildings

Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Center for the Musical Arts

Northwestern University first planned the reconstruction of the Bienen School of Music in February 2008. After competing with 25 architect companies, Chicago-based Goettsch Partners won the design of this giant glass building by the Northwestern University Lakefill. The building started its construction on May 18, 2012 and opened for classes in the Fall of 2015.

The exterior of the building consists mainly of glass, taking maximum advantage of the shorelines and skylines of neighboring Chicago. The base of the building features a limestone base with mixing of concrete in some middle pillar parts of the interior, also serving as the separation wall for Mary B. Galvin Recital Hall, which offers a direct view of the lake and downtown Chicago. Part of the building also rests on the Northwestern University Lakefill, as it partly integrates the existing Regenstein Hall of Music on all three levels.

Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Center for the Musical Arts has 3 new performance venues, including the 400-seat Mary B. Galvin Recital Hall, 150-seat black box Shirley Welsh Ryan Opera Theater, and a 120-seat David and Carol McClintock Choral and Recital Room. The building also offices Bienen School of Music departments like admission, financial aids, student affairs, career services, as well as the career department of the School of Communication. Instrumental practice rooms occupy the third floor, faculty studios on the fourth. Offices of the deans and administrative staff occupy the second, fourth and fifth floor.

Athletics buildings and fields

The Northwestern lakefill additionally serves as home to many of the Northwestern Athletics fields and facilities. Currently, the lakefill houses the Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium, Lakeside Hockey Field, and the Chap and Ethel Hutchinson practice field.

The Lanny and Sharon Martin stadium opened in March 8, 2016 and houses both the Northwestern Wildcat soccer and lacrosse. It includes an artificial turf field, full field lighting, permanent seating for up to 2000 and a full color video board with recording equipment. The facility is named after alumni and Trustee J.Landis Martin and his wife, Sharon Martin.

Home of the Northwestern Field Hockey, the Northwestern Lakeside Field was built in 1997 as part of the Leonard B. Thomas Athletic Complex. The field includes artificial turf lined for Field Hockey, a full field light and sound system, score board, and permanent seating for up to 300 fans. The field has been the location of the Big Ten Field Hockey Tournament in 2002, 2004, and 2010.

Created as a Varsity Football athletic practice field, the Chap and Ethel Hutchinson field was opened in summer 2016 and is located next to both Lakeside field and Martin stadium alongside the Lake Michigan lakefront.

Kellogg School of Management Global Hub

Designed by Toronto architectural firm KPMB, the 410,000-square-foot glass building on the North side of Northwestern University Lakefill will finish its construction by the end of 2016, and will include Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management faculty, staff and students, as well as Weinberg College’s Department of Economics.

The building consists of a Collaboration Plaza, three stories, a 6000-square-foot visitor center, a two stories White Family Auditorium that holds 350 people, and a Faculty Summit that’s also two stories for discussions and debates.

Apart from its high technology and flexibility of furnitures within classrooms, the building is also notable for its eco-friendly design that will reduce energy consumption by 30% below standard requirements. It is expected that the Global Hub will receive LEED Gold designation.