Northern Illinois University Campus Concept Plan

The planning process used focused design charettes and intensive workshops to generate quick and innovative ideas. These collaborative workshops maximized direct input and feedback from students, university leaders, and facilities staff.

The plan recommended a number of new university projects including:

• Short term interventions that can be implemented immediately such as a “green” shuttle system enabling students to get across campus quickly, especially during the winter months;
• Improving the network of bike lanes, walkways, courtyards, and common spaces;
• Increasing student housing in the central campus closer to the academic core;
• Creating new campus open spaces and adding a major new central quadrangle to enhance the campus setting and experience, and;
• Removal of out-dated student accommodations further from the Campus Core.