Extending the stadium experience beyond game day

Northwestern University Ryan Field

Northwestern University, Perkins & Will

Location	Evanston, Illinois
Client	HNTB Corporation and Northwestern University
Expertise	Inclusive & Accessible Design, Integrated Digital Delivery
Size	10.8 acres
Completion	Ongoing

The Ryan Field development for Northwestern University reimagines how a 40,000-seat stadium connects to its surroundings, extending beyond a single-use venue into 200,000 square feet of parks and plazas that serve the community year-round.

Safe Circulation

Movement through the site is organized by a sequence of plazas, gateways, and promenades that enhance wayfinding while creating opportunities for gathering and pause. On game days, these areas host tailgating, student programming, and family-friendly activities, offering a range of experiences for all fans. Safety and security strategies were also seamlessly embedded, ensuring a secure environment without compromising the site’s visual quality or openness.

Contextual Design

The design reflects and reinforces the university’s historic character through a deliberate palette of materials, textures, and plantings. Paving, colors, and spatial organization were carefully considered, including signature plaza spaces at the north and south ends of the stadium that incorporate a designed “N” to reinforce identity and sense of place.

Year-round Programming

Beyond game days, the site transforms into a dynamic town square, hosting holiday festivals, youth sports, and campus events that enrich both the Evanston community and Northwestern University. Landscape elements soften the stadium's scale, improve microclimate conditions, and encourage longer stays, allowing these spaces to function as active community amenities rather than pass-through circulation zones.

Northwestern University, Perkins & Will

Northwestern University, Perkins & Will

Northwestern University, Perkins & Will

Designed to serve both Northwestern University and the surrounding Evanston community, the project demonstrates our commitment to adaptable, high-performing landscapes that connect people and place.