Northwestern highlight Ryan Field design

Image: HNTB and Northwestern University

Northwestern University has revealed renderings of its brand-new Ryan Field stadium which will open in 2026.

USA Today said the new stadium will be a state-of-the-art $850 million sports and entertainment venue set to become a landmark for college football and Chicago.

Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois (US). Established in 1851 to serve the historic Northwest Territory, it is the oldest chartered university in Illinois. The university has its main campus along the shores of Lake Michigan in the Chicago Metropolitan area.

The 47,130-capacity Ryan Field was a stadium in the Central United States located in Evanston, Illinois, a suburb North of Chicago. Near the campus of Northwestern University, it was primarily used for American football and was the home field of the Northwestern Wildcats of the Big Ten Conference.

Image: HNTB and Northwestern University

Northwestern said that the brand-new state-of-the-art stadium would be funded directly by the Ryan family and would have no public investment.

The Ryan family is a minority owner of the Chicago Bears and owns a stake in the English Premier League club AFC Bournemouth.

The school has said the new stadium would seat 35,000, down more than 12,000 from the old Ryan Field, which opened in 1926.

Image: HNTB and Northwestern University

It will feature a canopy designed to keep noise and light focused on the field and will include cutting-edge technology and scoreboards as well as concessions with food from local restaurants. It will also achieve Gold Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.

Pat Ryan Jr. said, “With the new Ryan Field, we are introducing a bold new vision for the future of college sports.

“This stadium is not just a world class football stadium; it’s for our students, and student-athletes, our fans, our alumni, and the Northwestern and Evanston communities. We’re committed to creating spaces that embody the best of what the modern fan experience can be, while building a legacy of economic empowerment and cultural benefits for our community.

Image: HNTB and Northwestern University

“The Ryan Family is proud to be partnered with Northwestern in creating this transformational project. In addition to the Ryan Foundation providing the majority of the funding for the new Ryan Field, the Ryan Family’s sports development team is leading the design and development of the new stadium on a pro bono basis in partnership with Northwestern Athletics.”

According to the university, the stadium will host Northwestern football games and serve as an “asset” for the Evanston, Illinois, and Northwestern community for youth sports, holiday festivals, and student activities.

USA Today further stated that the new 35,000-seat stadium ― the Big Ten’s smallest capacity ― is expected to have a $1.3 billion impact on the Chicago area, with a $659 million impact in Evanston alone.

Image: HNTB and Northwestern University

In addition to that, the project is expected to provide $208 million in contracts for minority and women-owned businesses and the Ryan Foundation is providing $10 million to fund workforce development programs for Evanston residents.
 

According to Northwestern, other elements at the new Ryan Field include:

• All 35,000 seats will offer better-than-tv sightlines. By leveraging modern engineering, each level is optimized for putting it as close to the field as possible, and every seat will feature a comfortable seat back protected from the weather by a canopy
• The seating canopy is also specifically engineered to create a powerful homefield sound advantage at games
• With 194% of the required ADA seating, universal accessibility and the opportunity for every fan, regardless of physical ability to experience the stadium the same way, it will be the most accessible stadium ever built
• More than 200,000 square feet of parks and plazas surrounding the stadium, with the ability to host pregame activities for every type of fan, including pop up restaurants, live music and a community tailgating zone
• All main concourses at the new Ryan Field will be open to the stadium bowl, allowing fans to never miss a moment of the game
• Four premium clubs for every type of fan, from the most hardcore Wildcat supporter to opportunities for corporate entertainment at Chicago’s Big Ten Stadium. Designed by world-renowned architecture and design firm Rockwell Group, the clubs will be available year round for all types of events, meetings and private gatherings.

 
Partners in the new Ryan Field include Turner Walsh, who is leading construction on the project, as well as architecture firms Perkins & Will and HNTB.

Image: HNTB and Northwestern University

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