A new molecular recognition motif between a water soluble pillar[10]arene (WP10) and 1,10-phenanthrolinium guest (G) in water is established. Mainly driven by the cooperativity of multiple electrostatic interactions, hydrophobic interactions, and - stacking interactions between WP10 and G, this host-guest complex exhibits a high association constant in water, which is about 17 times higher than that between WP10 and paraquat (PQ). Furthermore, this size selective host-guest complexation is employed to tune the lower critical solution temperature behavior of a random copolymer with PQ derivative pendants.