Northwestern University selects 12-firm longlist to design new engineering building

Northwestern University’s search for an architect-engineer team to design a future engineering research building has drawn considerable interest, with more than 100 firms responding to the initial open call. 

The pool reportedly ranged from internationally renowned practices to emerging contenders, underscoring both the competitiveness of major academic commissions and the continued appetite for large-scale research and higher education work.

After reviewing submissions, the university has narrowed the field to these 12 firms to advance to the next phase:

• 3XN Architects
• Behnisch Architekten
• Henning Larsen 
• KieranTimberlake
• PAYETTE
• Richärd Kennedy Architects
• SHoP Architects
• Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)
• Snøhetta
• Studio Gang 
• TenBerke Architects
• WEISS/MANFREDI

The project is tied to a recently completed research facilities master plan for Northwestern’s Evanston, IL, campus, which identified new space needs to support the institution’s long-term research and teaching ambitions. 

The selected teams will now move into an Expression of Interest stage before a smaller shortlist is invited to respond to a formal RFP, with the next round of finalists expected to be revealed later this summer.