Northwestern University Luna’s Pub, Cohen Lawn and Kahn Pavilion
Cohen Lawn offers a student-focused site to extend activities offered at the University center with the addition of Luna's Pub and Kahn Pavilion while addressing stormwater management on the shore of Lake Michigan.
Markets/Services
Architecture, Civil Engineering, Green Infrastructure, Information & Communications Technology, Higher Education, Interiors, Landscape Architecture, MEP Engineering, Student Life, Structural Engineering, Public Spaces
Size
5,000 GSF
2.4 acres
An esteemed academic institution with nearly 23,000 students, Northwestern University sought to create a stronger central hub for student life on its 240-acre campus. A lawn adjacent to Norris University Center was the obvious choice: Situated along a protected lagoon that opens to the lake, the outdoor space already hosted large University events, but it lacked the infrastructure to be usable daily, especially in the colder months.
The new Luna’s Pub, Cohen Lawn and Kahn Pavilion enhances student life on campus, creating a true sense of place with both indoor and outdoor amenities that capitalize on its picturesque waterfront setting. The design naturally connects Norris University Center with a new open-air plaza, covered performance pavilion, and seating areas.
SmithGroup’s architecture, landscape architecture, MEP engineering and civil engineering disciplines contributed to the project — a highly integrated team that worked closely with the client and adapted quickly to new inputs and ideas. The plan took shape with extensive input from Northwestern’s leadership, faculty and students. It grew more substantial as it evolved, indicative of the University's commitment to enhancing student life.
Original plans for an outdoor grill were elevated to a year-round pub: a warm and welcoming gathering place unlike anywhere else on campus, Luna's pub features exposed timbers mass timber structure, a curved glass triple-glazed curtainwall, seating for more than 100 people, and a rooftop deck that will be an extension of Norris’s Cohen Lawn. The Kahn Pavilion provides opportunities for an outdoor entertainment venue. Luna's Pub and Kahn Pavilion anchor the plaza, a natural hub for large-scale campus events. Ample lawn areas provide space to enjoy movies and music and enable the university community to host large-scale events.
Coinciding with the space improvements, the team made necessary upgrades to the University's stormwater management system. It replaced failing daisy basins with improved infiltration, bioretention and two new outlets into an existing cooling pond, relieving pressure on overburdened upstream and downstream outlets. The plan improves water quality in the lake and makes the shoreline more resilient to wind, waves and future climatic changes — ensuring the Cohen Lawn will be an iconic campus landmark for years to come.
