Lecture Hall Design at Northwestern University

Developed in collaboration with three other designers, the project began as a collective exploration of a new master plan for Northwestern University’s architecture campus in Chicago. The shared framework established the primary axes, circulation, public spaces, and relationships between buildings, while each designer developed an individual architectural component within the larger composition.

The Lecture Hall acts as a central mediator within this system. Its circular geometry responds to the multiple axes and paths crossing the site, receiving and redirecting movement while creating visual and spatial relationships with the surrounding buildings and public spaces. Its prominent position also establishes a new point of arrival for the campus, giving Northwestern a recognizable civic presence within Chicago.

A shared master plan creates the framework; each building develops its own architectural identity within the whole.

The lecture hall is organized as a sequence of spaces transitioning from the public life of Northwestern University’s campus to the collective interior of the auditorium. Two lateral loggias extend the building into the surrounding urban framework, providing flexible spaces for circulation, gathering, informal activities, and shops while adapting to Chicago’s changing weather.

At the center, the main entrance creates a clear moment of arrival, drawing from the Pantheon through its emphasis on centrality and procession. Beyond the reception area, visitors enter a semicircular auditorium inspired by historic theater typologies. Its geometry strengthens visibility, proximity, and the relationship between speaker and audience, encouraging participation and dialogue rather than a purely one-directional lecture.

The spaces surrounding the Lecture Hall accommodate complementary programs. Private rooms and support spaces for presenters and performers are positioned alongside the central auditorium, while the lateral loggias house more public functions, including shops and informal gathering areas.

The second level contains the main administrative offices, separating the university’s operational functions from the more public and ceremonial spaces below. Together, these elements establish a clear spatial hierarchy:

Loggia → Entrance → Reception → Hall

The sequence moves from the openness of the campus toward the focused interior of the auditorium