Perkins and Will have designed a new twisting School of Continuing Studies for York University in Toronto, Canada. Consolidating classes that are currently held across four buildings, the nearly 100,000 square foot building is made to become an iconic gateway site and showcase York's commitment to non-traditional students.
Located at the Keele campus, the project is designed to accommodate both professional certificate programs and the York University English Language Institute. President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton said that, "This new, standalone home for our School of Continuing Studies demonstrates York's commitment to serving the current and future needs of learners and employers, here at home and around the world, as they rise to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and the demands of a dynamic global knowledge economy."
In March 2020, developers broke ground and began construction. In five years, the School has seen over 1,000 per cent growth in its professional program enrollments. Scheduled to open for students in fall 2021, the building will allow for expanded access to the English-language university pathways that support international students and new Canadians.
"Our language programs are the top programs in North America. Our professional programs are among the most innovative in Canada and among the top programs in North America," said Tracey Taylor-O'Reilly, Assistant Vice-President, Continuing Studies. "Our physical environment needs to be an extension of the quality of the education we're providing to our students. This building will allow us to bring innovation using the cutting-edge twisted design to create a world-class education experience in North America."
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