diff --git a/library/src/lib.rs b/library/src/lib.rs
index c11b818ec..ac99425fe 100644
--- a/library/src/lib.rs
+++ b/library/src/lib.rs
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ fn global(math: Module, calc: Module) -> Module {
     global.define("bibliography", meta::BibliographyElem::func());
     global.define("locate", meta::locate);
     global.define("style", meta::style);
+    global.define("layout", meta::layout);
     global.define("counter", meta::counter);
     global.define("numbering", meta::numbering);
     global.define("state", meta::state);
diff --git a/library/src/meta/context.rs b/library/src/meta/context.rs
index 7426d27d7..3902f47aa 100644
--- a/library/src/meta/context.rs
+++ b/library/src/meta/context.rs
@@ -121,3 +121,101 @@ impl Show for StyleElem {
         Ok(self.func().call_vt(vt, [styles.to_map().into()])?.display())
     }
 }
+
+/// Provides access to the current outer container's (or page's, if none) size (width and height).
+///
+/// The given function must accept a single parameter, `size`, which is a dictionary with keys
+/// `width` and `height`, both having the type [`length`]($type/length).
+///
+/// That is, if this `layout` call is done inside (for example) a box of size 800pt (width)
+/// by 400pt (height), then the specified function will be given the parameter
+/// `(width: 800pt, height: 400pt)`.
+///
+/// If, however, this `layout` call is placed directly on the page, not inside any container,
+/// then the function will be given `(width: page_width, height: page_height)`, where `page_width`
+/// and `page_height` correspond to the current page's respective dimensions, minus its margins.
+///
+/// This is useful, for example, to convert a [`ratio`]($type/ratio) value (such as `5%`, `100%`
+/// etc.), which are usually based upon the outer container's dimensions (precisely what this
+/// function gives), to a fixed length (in `pt`).
+///
+/// This is also useful if you're trying to make content fit a certain box, and doing certain
+/// arithmetic using `pt` (for example, comparing different lengths) is required.
+///
+/// Please note: This function may provide a width or height of `infpt` if one of the page
+/// dimensions is `auto`, under certain circumstances. This should not normally occur for
+/// usual page sizes, however.
+///
+/// ```example
+/// layout(size => {
+///     // work with the width and height of the container we're in
+///     // using size.width and size.height
+/// })
+///
+/// layout(size => {
+///     // convert 49% (of page width) to 'pt'
+///     // note that "ratio" values are always relative to a certain, possibly arbitrary length,
+///     // but it's usually the current container's width or height (e.g., for table columns,
+///     // 15% would be relative to the width, but, for rows, it would be relative to the height).
+///     let percentage_of_width = (49% / 1%) * 0.01 * size.width
+///     // ... use the converted value ...
+/// })
+///
+/// // The following two boxes are equivalent, and will have rectangles sized 200pt and 40pt:
+///
+/// #box(width: 200pt, height: 40pt, {
+///     rect(width: 100%, height: 100%)
+/// })
+///
+/// #box(width: 200pt, height: 40pt, layout(size => {
+///     rect(width: size.width, height: size.height)
+/// }))
+/// ```
+///
+/// Display: Layout
+/// Category: meta
+/// Returns: content
+#[func]
+pub fn layout(
+    /// A function to call with the outer container's size. Its return value is displayed
+    /// in the document.
+    ///
+    /// This function is called once for each time the content returned by
+    /// `layout` appears in the document. That makes it possible to generate
+    /// content that depends on the size of the container it is inside.
+    func: Func,
+) -> Value {
+    LayoutElem::new(func).pack().into()
+}
+
+/// Executes a `layout` call.
+///
+/// Display: Layout
+/// Category: special
+#[element(Layout)]
+struct LayoutElem {
+    /// The function to call with the outer container's (or page's) size.
+    #[required]
+    func: Func,
+}
+
+impl Layout for LayoutElem {
+    fn layout(
+        &self,
+        vt: &mut Vt,
+        styles: StyleChain,
+        regions: Regions,
+    ) -> SourceResult<Fragment> {
+        // Gets the current region's base size, which will be the size of the outer container,
+        // or of the page if there is no such container.
+        let Size { x, y } = regions.base();
+        let size_dict = dict! { "width" => x, "height" => y }.into();
+
+        let result = self
+            .func()
+            .call_vt(vt, [size_dict])? // calls func(size)
+            .display();
+
+        result.layout(vt, styles, regions)
+    }
+}
diff --git a/tests/ref/layout/block-sizing.png b/tests/ref/layout/block-sizing.png
index ff95c34c0..f6655e63e 100644
Binary files a/tests/ref/layout/block-sizing.png and b/tests/ref/layout/block-sizing.png differ
diff --git a/tests/ref/layout/page.png b/tests/ref/layout/page.png
index 4881fa2b9..bcf325261 100644
Binary files a/tests/ref/layout/page.png and b/tests/ref/layout/page.png differ
diff --git a/tests/typ/layout/block-sizing.typ b/tests/typ/layout/block-sizing.typ
index a768c3e3a..181bbe310 100644
--- a/tests/typ/layout/block-sizing.typ
+++ b/tests/typ/layout/block-sizing.typ
@@ -14,3 +14,11 @@
   fill: aqua,
   lorem(8) + colbreak(),
 )
+
+---
+// Layout inside a block with certain dimensions should provide those dimensions.
+
+#set page(height: 120pt)
+#block(width: 60pt, height: 80pt, layout(size => [
+  This block has a width of #size.width and height of #size.height
+]))
diff --git a/tests/typ/layout/page.typ b/tests/typ/layout/page.typ
index ff050e55f..f5c7822d0 100644
--- a/tests/typ/layout/page.typ
+++ b/tests/typ/layout/page.typ
@@ -31,3 +31,12 @@
 // Should result in one forest-colored A11 page and one auto-sized page.
 #page("a11", flipped: true, fill: forest)[]
 #pagebreak()
+
+---
+// Layout without any container should provide the page's dimensions, minus its margins.
+
+#page(width: 100pt, height: 100pt, {
+  layout(size => [This page has a width of #size.width and height of #size.height ])
+  h(1em)
+  place(left, rect(width: 80pt, stroke: blue))
+})