Transforming the podium - tower typology into a vertical campus - Located steps from the busiest intersection in Canada, Ryerson University occupies one of the densest and fastest growing neighborhoods in Toronto. Over the last decade, the University’s enrollment has increased by almost 50%, and with the introduction of a variety of innovative new courses and programs, campus facilities are under tremendous pressure. However, at the same time, explosive development on surrounding sites has constrained the University’s opportunities to expand. Programmatically, four academic departments—the Schools of Nursing, Midwifery, Nutrition, and Occupational and Public Health—share space with technology-rich classrooms, a digital fabrication lab, flexible research facilities, University administration, and a 330-bed residence. A continuous thread of public space, described in vibrant orange cladding, connects these diverse programs to each other and to the City beyond. Public functions, retail and large classrooms are located on the building’s fi rst two levels, animating the street while providing the access and crush space required for hourly turnover. A through-block interior street creates a new pedestrian route on campus.