McMaster University engaged Rickes Associates (RA) to perform a holistic evaluation of its campus capacity, in light of significant projected enrollment increases. Encompassing over 350,000 square meters of facilities on a 300-acre site, McMaster University enrolls over 20,000 undergraduate and graduate students in a diverse variety of programs. 

The University has steadily grown in population and prominence to become one of the leading research institutions in Canada. In particular, McMaster is noted for its strength in the fields of Health Science and Engineering.

Using the current space inventory, course scheduling data, staffing data, and historical enrollment data across the school's faculties, RA evaluated the existing physical capacity of the University's campus. Faculty and staff interviews, combined with the application of higher education space planning guidelines, identified "pinch points" across space types and programs. This informed future campus planning initiatives needed to accomodate enrollment growth.