The Northwestern University Deering Library Renovation thoughtfully blends historic preservation with modern updates, bringing new life to one of campus’s most iconic buildings while honoring its original character.

The project included extensive stone cleaning and restoration, carefully refreshing both the exterior and interior details to highlight the craftsmanship of the library’s Gothic architecture. Inside, the team restored existing millwork and crafted new hand-carved pieces that seamlessly complement the original design.

One of the standout spaces, the Martin Reading Room, received a full restoration, including refinished historic tables and chairs, while the grand third-floor lobby was transformed with new paneled millwork walls that now serve as a striking focal point of the building.
In addition to the specialty restoration work, the project included general upgrades throughout the library, such as refreshed paint, new flooring, updated office and support spaces, and modernized restrooms that improve accessibility and comfort while maintaining the building’s classic look.

Overall, the Deering Library renovation preserves the building’s historic significance while updating it to better serve students and scholars for years to come.

The design approach for the Northwestern University Deering Library renovation focused on honoring the building’s history while making it work for today. Rather than reinventing the space, the team set out to highlight the craftsmanship already there and thoughtfully build upon it.

Highly detailed drawings and thorough documentation were essential to the project’s success. With a historic building, no two conditions are the same, so the design team spent time studying original details, verifying conditions in the field, and collaborating closely with the construction team. This level of detail helped guide everything from stone restoration techniques to the recreation of hand-carved millwork.

Restoring and integrating new elements came with challenges, but those complexities ultimately elevated the project. Clear design intent and careful planning allowed restored features and new work to blend seamlessly, preserving the building’s character while improving function.

The result is a space that feels authentic, cohesive, and timeless – respecting Deering Library’s architectural legacy while enhancing the experience for students and scholars today.

The Northwestern University Deering Library renovation required a thoughtful, hands-on approach to ensure the highest level of quality from start to finish. With a tight timeline and an active campus setting, success depended on careful planning, clear communication, and close collaboration among the entire project team.

The work itself was highly detailed and complex, ranging from intricate millwork restoration and stone cleaning to integrating modern infrastructure within a historic building. Coordinating these efforts meant sequencing multiple trades with precision, adjusting to existing conditions as they were uncovered, and staying flexible as challenges arose—all while maintaining a safe, organized jobsite.

The team addressed these challenges by anticipating logistical constraints, staying proactive in the field, and keeping craftsmanship and safety at the forefront of every decision. When unexpected conditions surfaced, the team adapted quickly and worked together to keep the project moving forward.

In the end, strong teamwork, experience, and problem-solving allowed the project to meet its aggressive schedule while delivering a restoration that not only preserves the building’s historic character, but also exceeds expectations in both quality and appearance.

Safety was a top priority throughout the Northwestern University Deering Library renovation, and the results reflect that commitment. Despite the complexity of the work, tight schedule, and challenges of operating within an active campus environment, the project was completed with zero recordable safety incidents.

This outcome was driven by proactive planning, daily communication, and a shared responsibility among all trades to look out for one another. The team maintained a strong focus on hazard awareness, proper sequencing, and safe work practices—especially during high-risk activities such as stone restoration, detailed millwork installation, and coordination of multiple trades in confined spaces.

Regular safety meetings, clear expectations, and consistent oversight helped reinforce a culture where safety was never secondary to schedule or scope. By staying alert, adapting to changing site conditions, and addressing potential risks before they became issues, the team created a safe and controlled work environment from start to finish.

Ultimately, achieving zero recordable incidents on a project of this complexity underscores the team’s dedication to safety, professionalism, and the belief that everyone deserves to go home safe at the end of every day.

The restoration of Northwestern University Deering Library has made a noticeable difference across campus. Since reopening, library attendance has more than doubled – clear proof that students, faculty, and visitors are excited to be back in this iconic space.

By preserving Deering’s historic character while updating it for modern use, the project created a more welcoming, functional, and accessible environment for everyone. The refreshed reading rooms, inviting study areas, and beautifully restored details have turned the library into a lively place for learning, collaboration, and connection.

Beyond restoring a historic building, the project helped reestablish Deering Library as a central gathering place on campus, one that reflects Northwestern’s commitment to inclusion, accessibility, and community.

The Cohen Lawn and Norris East Lawn transformation at Northwestern University reimagines a formerly underutilized campus edge into a vibrant, inclusive destination that supports academic life, social connection, and community engagement. The design creatively blends landscaped open space, a performance pavilion, and a new student-focused pub into a cohesive environment that encourages gathering, movement, and year-round use. Thoughtful material selections, integrated lighting, and flexible outdoor programming areas allow the space to transition seamlessly from daytime study to evening events.

Construction required exceptional coordination within an active campus setting. Crews navigated tight logistics, utility tie-ins, and phased sequencing to maintain pedestrian access and nearby operations throughout the project. The integration of new structural elements, hardscape, and landscape systems demanded precise execution to meet both aesthetic and durability goals, while schedule pressures required adaptability and close collaboration among trade partners.

Safety was a constant priority. The project achieved an exemplary safety record through daily site briefings, proactive hazard mitigation, and strict adherence to campus safety protocols, ensuring a secure environment for workers and the university community alike.

Beyond its physical transformation, the project delivers meaningful impact through inclusive design and workforce participation. The revitalized lawn expands accessible gathering space, supports student programming, and strengthens campus culture, while apprenticeship participation and diverse business engagement helped extend the project’s benefits beyond the site and into the surrounding community.

The creative design process for the Cohen Lawn and Norris East Lawn project at Northwestern University was rooted in reimagining how outdoor space could better support campus life. Early collaboration with university stakeholders focused on understanding student movement patterns, programming needs, and the desire for a flexible destination that could shift seamlessly from academic use to social and cultural activity. This vision informed a design that treats the landscape as an active framework rather than a passive backdrop, integrating architecture, hardscape, and landscape into a unified experience.

One of the primary challenges was weaving contemporary design elements into a highly visible, heavily trafficked campus environment without disrupting daily operations or overwhelming the surrounding context. The project required careful coordination of circulation paths, grading, utilities, and structural components to accommodate a new performance pavilion, plaza spaces, and adjacent indoor uses. Each element was designed to be both expressive and durable, balancing refined detailing with long-term performance under constant use.

The complexity of the design lies in its layered functionality. Subtle grade changes define gathering zones without physical barriers, integrated lighting extends usability into the evening, and material transitions guide movement intuitively across the site. These challenges ultimately strengthened the project, resulting in a cohesive environment that is visually engaging, highly adaptable, and deeply connected to campus life.

The project team implemented a disciplined, quality-driven process to deliver the Cohen Lawn, Norris East Lawn Redevelopment, Pavilion, and new Campus Pub at Northwestern University. Quality assurance began during preconstruction with detailed constructability reviews, early trade partner engagement, and comprehensive sequencing plans tailored to the project’s tight site constraints and active campus environment. Throughout construction, consistent field oversight, frequent coordination meetings, and ongoing verification ensured design intent was executed with precision across architectural, landscape, and building systems.

The project’s final stages presented heightened challenges as several scope enhancements were introduced late in construction. These additions required most trades to remain actively engaged through closeout, demanding exceptional coordination, flexibility, and schedule control. The complexity of integrating new finishes, systems, and operational requirements while maintaining momentum required hands-on leadership and careful orchestration of overlapping work activities.

Despite these challenges, the project achieved a seamless turnover. All Evanston building inspections and the health inspection were passed on the first visit with zero corrections, reflecting the rigor of the quality control process and the effectiveness of field execution.

All Evanston building inspections and the health inspection were passed on the first visit with zero corrections, reflecting the rigor of the quality control process and the effectiveness of field execution.

The Cohen Lawn, Norris East Lawn Redevelopment, Pavilion, and Campus Pub project at Northwestern University delivers lasting impact through the creation of an inclusive, welcoming destination that strengthens campus life and broadens access to shared spaces. The revitalized lawn transforms a previously underutilized area into a highly accessible environment that supports student engagement, cultural programming, performances, and informal gathering for the entire university community. Thoughtful site planning and barrier-free design ensure the space is usable by individuals of all abilities, reinforcing a sense of belonging and connection.

Beyond the physical environment, the project reflects a commitment to inclusion through workforce participation and collaboration. Construction efforts supported apprenticeship opportunities and engagement with diverse trade partners, extending the project’s benefits beyond campus and into the local community. Close coordination with university stakeholders ensured the project aligned with Northwestern’s broader goals for equity, access, and student-centered development.

By delivering flexible outdoor and social spaces that encourage interaction across disciplines, backgrounds, and programs, the project enhances the daily experience of students, faculty, staff, and visitors alike. The result is a campus asset that not only elevates the quality of the built environment, but also supports a more connected, inclusive, and vibrant university community.

The Technical Education Center at Waubonsee Community College was designed to support the rapid growth of its automotive, auto body, and welding programs while creating a strong campus identity along Route 47. Its split level design responds to the site’s natural slope, providing a student entrance at the upper level and a community lobby below. Three interconnected wings—Auto Body Repair, Automotive Technology and the Expo/Classroom/Administrative wing—organize the building, with the signature red “Bridge” linking major program areas and offering collaboration space and views into the labs.

Construction required navigating wetland soils, leading to the use of aggregate piers to stabilize the site and strategic relocation of unsuitable soil to detention areas. The building’s compact footprint demanded precise coordination of numerous large, specialized systems, many without detailed vendor models, requiring extensive BIM integration, mock ups and repeated layout verification. Despite the challenges of building next to an active technical facility, the project maintained an excellent safety record with no lost time incidents. The completed facility now serves as a regional hub for technical education, supporting workforce development and advancing the college’s mission of community partnership and academic innovation.

Design Vision & Concept
The Technical Education Center at Waubonsee Community College was conceived to support the rapid growth of the College’s Automotive Technology, Auto Body Repair and Welding programs. The building has been strategically located on the campus to establish a strong identity for the college along an adjacent highway, and to also serve as a dynamic marker at one of the primary entry points leading into the campus.

The building’s overall massing, organization and positioning on its site has been influenced by a series of contextual and programmatic factors. The site’s naturally sloping grade informed a split-level design solution which includes a student entrance accessed from the upper level of the site, while a community lobby entrance is located at the first floor, accessed from the lower portion of the site.

The volumetric organization of the building is composed of three distinct yet interconnected components that relate to the internal programmatic functions. The Auto Body Repair Lab Wing occupies the upper portion of the site and is highly visible from the adjacent highway, while the Automotive Technology Wing occupies the lower portion of the site and accommodates the frequent maneuvering of vehicles in and out of the facility. Serving these two lab wings, is the Expo, Classroom and Administrative Wing, which accommodates multi-use spaces and academic support functions, and is expressed architecturally with the Expo Space appearing to float above the community entrance below it, creating a strong visual identity and welcoming gesture toward the campus.

The building’s form was further influenced by the necessity to build around the existing outdated Autobody Repair Lab facility to the north, which needed to remain in operation while the new building was constructed around it. After completion of the new building, the former lab facility could then be removed.

Areas of glazing have been strategically incorporated throughout the building to bring natural light into the automotive labs, providing an uplifting environment for students. An expansive area of glazing defines the Expo Space above the community entrance and puts its activities on display to those approaching the building, while simultaneously framing the view of the adjacent prairie landscape from the interior space.
As a unifying organizational element of the design, the “Bridge” connects the building’s primary programmatic components. Finished in the college’s branded red color and expressed both on the interior and exterior of the building, the Bridge originates with the student entrance portal and extends through the building to the Community Lobby at the Expo Wing. Articulated with expressive structure and lighting, the Bridge functions to provide access to multiple spaces in the building, offers informal areas for student collaboration, and provides expansive elevated views overlooking the Automotive Technology Lab below.

The building’s architectural expression draws inspiration from the precision and craft of automobile design and componentry. A durable brick base anchors the building as it extends outward from the hillside, while sculpted metal panels above introduce color, texture, and movement, dynamically reflecting the technical innovation associated with the programs that the building serves.

To deliver the highest quality of construction on this project, the project team focused on rigorous coordination, continuous verification and early involvement of all stakeholders. From the outset, the project team faced significant challenges that required thoughtful planning and innovative problem solving to ensure the highest quality of construction. The first major hurdle involved identifying the optimal location on campus. After evaluating several potential sites, the team selected a prominent area near the main entrance to the campus, allowing the building’s striking façade to be visible from Route 47. This location offered strong visual impact but introduced substantial site related complexities.

Site Challenges
A portion of the selected site included wetland conditions, resulting in poor soil quality and limited bearing capacity. To address these challenges while maintaining the project budget, the team conducted a thorough evaluation of multiple foundation systems. Ultimately, they determined that a complex aggregate pier system provided the most economical and structurally sound solution. Aggregate piers were used to significantly improve soil stability by increasing bearing capacity, reducing settlement and densifying the surrounding soil to create a reliable foundation support system.
Soil deemed unsuitable for structural support was excavated and strategically relocated. Rather than exporting the material off site—an option that would have increased costs—the team placed the unsuitable soil in designated stormwater detention and retention areas. This approach allowed the project to remain cost effective while supporting long term campus planning.

Complex Systems
The Technical Education Center is home to the automotive service technology, automotive collision and refinishing technology and the welding technology programs in addition to general classroom space, computer labs, office space and common areas. A primary challenge was the sheer number of large systems that needed to be installed in a smaller-than-typical footprint. Many of these systems such as Spanesi paint booths, Snap-On equipment, in-ground lifts and specialized mechanical components require careful coordination and some of the vendors do not provide models or detailed BIM files. Pepper carefully identified system stubs and tie-in points with extreme precision to ensure the equipment would fit and function properly.
The technical curriculum associated with the facility and the complex systems involved, called for very particular requirements regarding the locations of ceiling mounted devices, floor mounted equipment and system tie-ins. Meeting these precise expectations required heightened levels of coordination, mock-ups and repeated layout validation throughout the design and construction phases. To accomplish this, we coordinated hanger points that could serve dual purposes: supporting contractor installations while also providing the structural steel fabricator with exact reinforcement locations prior to fabrication.

The construction and design teams worked closely to align system routing, ceiling device placements and floor equipment layouts with the end user’s operational needs. Additional complexities included fully understanding in-ground lift requirements and evaluating a new set of criteria when the originally specified paint booths were removed and replaced with a completely different system mid-project.
Process and Methods Used to Ensure the Highest Quality of Construction
To ensure the project was turned over at the highest level of quality and functionality, the team implemented a structured, BIM-driven coordination and verification process:
1. Composite Coordination Drawings
Comprehensive composite drawings clearly illustrated ceiling device layouts for architect review and approval. These drawings provided a single source of truth for routing, clearances and elevations.
2. Access and Maintenance Verification
Composite overlays were developed to demonstrate long-term access to equipment. This ensured maintenance staff would have unobstructed access to critical components after project completion.
3. Structural Openings and Reinforcement Coordination
Detailed opening composites were created by Pepper then reviewed and approved by the structural engineer and provided directly to the steel fabricator. This ensured hangers, penetrations and reinforcement plates were placed accurately before fabrication.
4. Cord Reel and Hose Reel Modeling
The team fully modeled all cord reels and hose reels to verify that hanging points were unencumbered and free of conflicts with architectural, structural or MEP systems.
5. Trimble-Based Installation to Minimize Error
All contractors used the coordinated BIM model, stamped shop drawings and Trimble layout tools to install each system with precision. This minimized human error and ensured field installation matched design intent.
6. Final Verification Through 3D Scanning
The team performed a verification scan post-installation, and the scan data closely matched the BIM model—with near-identical alignment—confirming the accuracy and quality of the installation.
The building required extensive integration of numerous large and atypical systems within a relatively constrained space, which introduced both significant challenges and a high degree of complexity. Through careful engineering, strategic decision making and a commitment to quality, the project team successfully navigated complex site conditions and delivered a structurally sound, visually stunning facility. The combination of challenging soil remediation, tight spaces and highly technical atypical system requirements underscores the overall complexity of the project and the high level of coordination required to achieve its goals.

Safety remained the highest priority throughout the duration of the project, particularly given the unique challenge of working adjacent to an active and fully occupied technical facility. Construction activities took place while students continued their daily routines—entering and exiting the building, working on vehicles and utilizing the surrounding space. This required heightened coordination, strict safety protocols and continuous communication to ensure the safety of the construction team, students and staff.
Despite the complexity of operating in such a dynamic environment, the project maintained an excellent safety record. Over the course of construction, there was only one OSHA‑recordable incident involving a trade partner and one additional first‑aid case. Importantly, the project experienced no lost‑time incidents.

A strong community needs a competitive workforce. Enter Waubonsee’s Technical Education Center – a building specially designed to meet the rigorous training and educational needs of 21st-century technicians, the makers and doers that drive the regional economy and beyond. Housing three programs that lead to in-demand and high-wage careers – Automotive Service Technology, Welding Technology and Automotive and Collision Refinishing Technology – the building is a hub for individual student and local economic growth, as well as an industry meeting space. The building serves as a tangible demonstration of two of the college’s strategic pillars, as outlined in the RISE 2030 strategic plan: redefining the college’s relationship with the community and investing in academic innovation.
A state-of-the-art technical education center will give students, the local workforce and the wider community more of what they need to fully embrace their potential. Career opportunities are based on the projected need for 642,000 more auto, collision and diesel techs and 84,000 more welding jobs in the years ahead. The Center will allow Waubonsee to double their enrollment capacity for these programs, leading to higher employment rates and financial stability for graduates and participants in continuing education programs.