Healthcare Design - August 2023 - 45

partly accomplished by collocating some of UCSF's most impactful research
and clinical practices within this one building; a grid of consult/office pods
supports overlap of various programs or individualization of those spaces,
depending on the program's needs. Careful attention was given to strategies
that draw researchers and practitioners out of traditional workspaces to promote
interdisciplinary engagement, including open workspaces, collaboration
spaces, an outdoor terrace, and staff lounges. Staff lounges that stack on
each floor while adjacent to vertical circulation provide direct connection
across floors as well as wonderful views of the bay and access to natural light.
be attuned to what suits them best. While the
[adult] entrance is grand and optimistic, it follows
a familiar urban condition of a vertical,
glassy entrance flanked by a retail space and
leading directly into the five-story atrium. The
[children's] entrance aligns itself with the residential
scale of the street, where patients approach
a vegetated, stoop-like entry into a more
receded entry doorway.
Separate floors address the unique needs of
the different patients served, as well. The design
team employed careful programming to provide
a specialized care experience dedicated to
specific ages on each floor. The interior for children
and teenagers is designed to accommodate
families, with groupings of smaller furniture,
child-friendly textures, and art created by San
Francisco youth.
A lot of thought was put into interdisciplinary
engagement, as well. How does the design
support the goal of enticing clinicians
and faculty members to leave silos and
share space?
Bandy: One of the design drivers was to enhance
the opportunity for clinicians, researchers, and
students to collaborate more readily. This was
AU GUST 2023
45
ABOVE: Patient waiting
areas are situated
adjacent to the atrium
on floors two through
four, providing a
sense of connection
and belonging in the
highly transparent
building. BELOW: Researchers
and practitioners
are served
by environments
designed to promote
interdisciplinary
engagement such as
open workspaces,
collaboration areas,
and staff lounges.
The design embraces visibility and transparency. Why was this
so important, and what was key to achieving it so thoroughly?
Mirjana Munetic: Research indicates that the stigma associated with
behavioral health services, compounded by a scarcity of clinicians and
facilities, resulted in more than one-half of those with mental health
disorders foregoing treatment. This facility is intended to serve the Bay
Area community in breaking that cycle and increasing access for patients
across the full spectrum of ages, including some of the most vulnerable
patient populations.
Normalizing the care environment meant giving patients access to
qualities that comfort and soothe them and designing to create a sense of
optimism and hospitality. To that end, openness to the community and
transparency in how the building will operate was a primary design driver
at UCSF. Both are emphasized through the central atrium and the materials
palette. The five-story atrium is the heart of the building, where one can
see multiple floors all at once. It provides a frame of reference for general
orientation, organizes the program, and supports the patient experience
with wayfinding. This transparency also aids in openness and visibility and
increased safety. It is a space that gives a sense of connection while also being
a place of refuge and repose.
For more on this project, see page 53. 
Jennifer Kovacs Silvis is editor-in-chief of Healthcare Design. She can be reached at
JENNIFER.SILVIS@EMERALDX.COM .
BRUCE DAMONTE
Healthcare Design - August 2023

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