Date/Time: November 6, 2026 | 10:15 – 11:15 am

Room: TAHOMA 3

Abstract: As cities intensify and conventional school sites become increasingly difficult to deliver, podium schools are emerging as an alternative learning environment that challenges traditional school models. Integrated within mixed‑use developments, podium schools invite new ways of thinking about how learning environments can support creativity, wellbeing, and community connection in dense urban contexts.

This session draws on recent podium school research and case studies in North-America and the UK to explore how vertically integrated schools can provide opportunities to create student‑centred, flexible, and engaging learning environments. It also touches upon the development of podium school design guidelines for Canadian School Boards and Municipalities, shaped by applied research and extensive stakeholder engagement.

Key themes include flexibility within constrained footprints, the integration of indoor and outdoor learning spaces, and the role K-12 schools can play as civic anchors within urban mixed-use communities. Positioned within the theme Learning Without Limits, this presentation reframes podium schools not as a compromise, but as an incredible opportunity to rethink how urban learning environments can evolve to better support tomorrow’s students and enrich our communities.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand what is a Podium School and why it can be appropriate learning environment model.
2. Identify key Podium School planning and design principles.
3. Apply lessons learned from built precedents and recent guidelines.
4. Recognize critical coordination, governance, and funding considerations (in a Canadian context).