Northwestern University, Ann McIlrath Drake Executive Center

Thornton Tomasetti is providing structural engineering for Northwestern University’s new Kellogg School of Management Education Center in Evanston, Illinois. The facility will expand Executive Education programming with flexible classrooms, hybrid learning environments, meeting and study rooms, dining spaces, an executive club, and overnight guest rooms. 

A New Education Center for Executive Learning 

The Education Center is designed to enhance the learning experience by integrating in-person and virtual instruction. It will connect students, alumni, corporate leaders, and Kellogg faculty around the world through flexible spaces that support executive education, collaboration, and global engagement. 

The building includes nearly 22,000 square feet of teaching space, flexible classroom areas, 48 meeting and group study rooms, seven dining spaces, an executive club, and 160 overnight guest rooms.

Connecting Kellogg’s Campus Through Integrated Design 

A tunnel will connect the new Education Center to the existing Global Hub, strengthening circulation across the Kellogg School of Management campus and expanding facilities for Executive Education programming. 

Thornton Tomasetti also provided structural engineering for the Global Hub, giving the team a deep understanding of the adjacent building, campus context, and structural coordination required for a seamless connection between the two facilities. 

Structural Engineering for Flexible Learning and Hospitality Spaces 

The building’s structural design supports open, adaptable spaces for teaching, group study, dining, executive programming, and overnight accommodations. Long-span framing, transferred columns, and long cantilevered framing help create flexible layouts while meeting architectural and programmatic requirements. 

These structural elements are coordinated within minimal ceiling space, required floor heights, and an 85-foot building height limit. 

Evaluating Framing Strategies for a Complex Campus Site 

Our team studied multiple framing options, including mass timber, to identify efficient solutions for the project’s architectural, structural and campus constraints. 

Drawing on extensive experience with Northwestern University campus projects, the team addressed the site’s proximity to Lake Michigan and developed an elegant structural approach that complements the Global Hub. 

Advancing Hybrid Learning and Campus Connectivity 

The project includes demolition of the existing Kellogg Allen Center and construction of a new education facility designed to advance executive learning, hybrid instruction, campus connectivity, and global collaboration. 

By combining technical structural expertise with prior experience on the Global Hub, Thornton Tomasetti is helping Northwestern create a connected, flexible, and future-ready learning environment for the Kellogg School of Management.