Global Hub nears completion

6/16/2016 - With its towering cascade of glass reflecting the pristine Evanston lakefront, it’s hard not to notice Kellogg’s new Global Hub. The 103-foot-high, 410,000-square-foot building is scheduled for completion in late 2016, with occupancy taking place shortly thereafter.

Once completed, the Global Hub will not only serve as Kellogg’s new home, but will also be hailed as one of the first business school buildings to address the needs of 21st century students, helping the school educate, equip and inspire leaders who build strong organizations and wisely leverage the power of markets.

With flexible classrooms and common spaces, the Global Hub can accommodate any teaching style or requirement. Office layout and locations will promote cross-functional connection and collaboration. Its emphasis on green technology and energy conservation ensures the building’s long-term sustainability and efficiency. Advanced technologies and planned onsite amenities will serve Kellogg students for decades to come.

“We designed a building that’s adaptable so that as technology and programs change in the future, the building can adapt with those needs,” said Leann Paul, Kellogg’s lead project manager for the building.

From concept to design

The building is designed to not only reflect the school’s commitment to reinventing management education, but also maintain the school’s collaborative and courageous culture.

The six-story complex is comprised of four separate buildings linked by a central atrium, allowing for what Bruce Kuwabara, founding partner of KPMB Architects, calls “connected neighborhoods of academic teaching and research.”

“This building is going to send a big message about the future of education, especially within management institutions,” Kuwabara said. “You don’t want to be just another business school; you want to set the standard, and that’s what Kellogg has done.”

Flexible and adaptable

The Global Hub offers many capabilities and amenities, the most unique being the flexibility of its classrooms and communal spaces. Each classroom can become flat, tiered, divided or expanded to meet the varied goals of faculty year after year. A 6,000-square-foot atrium can double as a central meeting point or a location for conferences and events.

Additionally, the White Auditorium will be a signature space for both Kellogg and Northwestern. The two-story venue — with panoramic views of Lake Michigan to the north and east and the Chicago skyline to the south — can convert from a tiered 350-seat auditorium to an event space that can seat 250 for large dinners.

Additional amenities include a fitness center, a food court, a coffee bar, several lounges, and stairs in the style of the Spanish Steps that connect the first three floors, giving students faculty and staff an open space to convene.

Green and sustainable

The Global Hub is also one of the most eco-friendly facilities on campus, on track for LEED Gold Certification thanks to a geothermal field for heating and cooling needs, triple-glazed exterior windows for more efficient heating and cooling, automated window shades for sun and shade control, low flow plumbing fixtures to conserve water, and a ground water reservoir for landscape irrigation.

“It will be one of the most efficient facilities at Northwestern,” says Rob Whittier, an adjunct lecturer and director of sustainability at Northwestern.

As Kellogg prepares to unveil its new home, anticipation and excitement continue to grow on campus. And once the doors open, the Global Hub will, as Dean Sally Blount put it at groundbreaking, “set a standard for how we teach at Kellogg.”