The Ryerson University Learning Center complements the university library associated with it. He himself performs a similar and, at the same time, radically different function. At the beginning of the XXI century, digital media are replacing paper ones - especially among young readers, the same students. Therefore, traditional libraries have to transform into multifunctional centers where, in addition to reading books, visitors are offered a range of services - from foreign language courses to a cup of coffee.
The case of educational institutions' libraries is somewhat different: their main role is a space for study and communication, available almost round the clock (for example, the Snøhetta building is open from 7 am to 1 am). Here you can find a quiet corner if there are noisy neighbors in the dormitory, and it is always warm and dry in the building, if it is winter outside and you can't lie on the lawn anymore (by the way, there are no lawns on the Ryerson University campus at all).
The architects of Snøhetta see the prototype of their building in ancient public spaces - agoras and stands, where philosophers, walking, explained the structure of the world to their students. By the same principle, modern students study here not in silence and solitude, but in a public environment.
In addition to educational, the new training center has one more function: this is the first building of Ryerson University, built specifically for it on the red line of the street, that is, noticeable in the urban environment and serving as the "face" of this educational institution. Therefore, its appearance plays a special role, including due to its location on the main shopping artery of Toronto - Young Street. To fit the building into an environment of cafes and shops, the architects provided it with a retail podium, and the entrance to the training center itself was raised above ground level. It is located from the corner, visible from afar thanks to the bright blue panels of the iridescent metal canopy (this sheathing continues in the interior, on the ceiling of the lobby) and wide steps where you can relax and chat not only for students, but also for any citizen.
Also open to all is the lobby with multifunctional steps: it can host meetings, fashion shows, concerts (for this there is a built-in speaker system). From there, a bridge-crossing leads to the adjacent building of the library, and from above hangs the "Launch Zone" - a digital media laboratory and a business incubator for technology startups.
Above, there are floors with spaces for communication, joint or individual lessons, classrooms. Stairways and elevators are marked with color accents, which not only helps to orientate, but also gives the effect of surprise when moving around the building. Each level received a "natural" name and solution: "Garden" and "Forest" are designed for quiet activities, "Beach" offers to sit freely on terraces and ramps, the upper floor, "Sky", is distinguished by a high ceiling and spectacular views of the city.
All spaces of the training center - as well as its external appearance - are defined by a fritted glass facade: a digitally applied drawing protects the interior from excessive solar heat, frames the views, and diversifies the intensity of room lighting.
