University of California, San Francisco’s Nancy Friend Pritzker Psychiatry Building Wins 2023 Design Showcase Award of Merit

The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) has once again proven its commitment to excellence in healthcare design with its Nancy Friend Pritzker Psychiatry Building. The state-of-the-art facility has been honored with the prestigious 2023 Design Showcase Award of Merit. This recognition demonstrates UCSF’s dedication to creating a cutting-edge environment that promotes mental health, normalizes it, and provides a space conducive to healing. See the original article on HealthcareDesign.com

Background

The Nancy Friend Pritzker Psychiatry Building, a part of the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, has since made a significant impact on the mental healthcare landscape. The project team, which included design architect ZGF (Portland, Ore.) in collaboration with Perkins&Will (San Francisco) and behavioral health consultant Architecture + (Troy, N.Y.), sought to advance design for mental health care environments and help break down barriers to care.

Standout Design Features

The building stands out not only for its architectural features but also for its strategic design elements that prioritize patient comfort and well-being. Multidisciplinary teams collaborated to create an environment that fosters a sense of calm and tranquility. Natural light floods the interior spaces, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere and lighting the most standout design feature of all: The five-story atrium.

“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.” (Source)

Additional Building Features

• A sleep clinic with space for overnight sleep studies
• A dedicated kitchen and treatment space for patients with eating disorders
• A rooftop garden
• Valet parking
• A café
• A separate entrance and separate care areas for pediatric patients (Source)

Specialized Spaces

The Nancy Friend Pritzker Psychiatry Building offers numerous specialized spaces tailored to meet the diverse needs of patients. To ensure privacy and individualized care, each patient is assigned their own personal room. Adhering to the principles of trauma-informed care, the facility provides dedicated spaces for therapeutic interventions, counseling, and group therapies. The inclusion of comfortable waiting areas also aims to reduce stress and anxiety among patients and their families.

Guiding Principles

The guiding principles for the project are:

• breaking down the barriers to improve the patient and family experience
• creating a healing and therapeutic environment while addressing safety and security
• creating room standardization and flexibility to support clinical, education, and research
• ensuring intuitive wayfinding and connections while separating pediatric and adult patient flows
• and integrating clinical, research, and education services to allow for collaboration across medical disciplines to advance treatment and research. (Source)

Recognition and Significance

The Design Showcase Award of Merit is a testament to the outstanding efforts made by UCSF and WRNS Studio. It recognizes the thoughtful and innovative design that prioritizes patient-centered care and contributes to the overall advancement of mental health treatments. The Nancy Friend Pritzker Psychiatry Building serves as a model for future psychiatric healthcare facilities, inspiring others to adopt a similar patient-centric approach.

University of California, San Francisco’s Nancy Friend Pritzker Psychiatry Building Wins 2023 Design Showcase Award of Merit

The accolades garnered by the Nancy Friend Pritzker Psychiatry Building signify the positive impact it has made on mental healthcare design. The project team which included design architect ZGF (Portland, Ore.) in collaboration with Perkins&Will (San Francisco) and behavioral health consultant Architecture + (Troy, N.Y.) proves their commitment to offering compassionate, cutting-edge care as it is reflected in every aspect of the building’s architecture, design, and functionality. This award is a testament to the university’s dedication to the field of psychiatry and its unwavering commitment to improving patient outcomes. The Nancy Friend Pritzker Psychiatry Building serves as a beacon of hope for patients and clinicians alike, showcasing the transformative potential of thoughtful and purposeful healthcare design.

Featured image by Bruce Damonte Photography

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Marie Wikoff is the creator of Wikoff Design Studio based out of Reno, Nevada. Her expertise in healthcare design has helped modernize healthcare organizations locally, regionally, and internationally, improving patient experience and outcomes. Her credentials include Evidence-Based Design Accreditation and Certification (EDAC), American Academy of Healthcare Interior Designer (CHID), the National Council of Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) and LEED AP. Contact Marie Wikoff