UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences

The Joan and Sanford I. Weill Neurosciences Building for UCSF Mission Bay houses cross-disciplinary science and discovery incorporating research, clinical and academic programs. The architectural design takes an unconventional approach for such a facility, prioritizing daylight and natural materials. A central atrium defines the primary campus entry on 4th street and articulates the building into 2 program driven bars. the atrium brings daylight and social connectivity into the heart of the building. L+U is responsible for the electric lighting design in the public areas of the building, including the 6-story atrium, conference rooms, exam rooms, treatment areas, reception and waiting rooms, meditation room, and circulation areas.

The atrium is illuminated with layers of light. Some light from linear fixtures illuminating the halls overlooking the atrium spills over to the central opening of the atrium. Wood-clad walls of the circulation above are washed with point source wall washers that are integrated into the wood slatted ceilings. Under the outside conference rooms at the ends of the atrium and below the perimeter of the skylight grazing linear cove fixtures highlight wood clad walls and soffits. Small, modestly powered, recessed, aimable downlights with narrow 15 degree beams at the top of the atrium reach down 6 floors to illuminate the center of the ground floor of the atrium. Zones for daylight dimming allow for fixtures within areas of direct sun to turn off, while other areas are dimmed.

L+U worked closely with the design architect to accentuate the architecture and to integrate lighting fixtures into the design. Patient hallways are 100% indirectly lit, with either ceilings or walls illuminated by continuous concealed linear fixtures.  Exam rooms offer several options for light including daylight, the large diffuse ceiling fixture, a linear wall mounted ceiling washer, and millwork-integrated downlight to highlight the niche and provide illumination for the sink. Mockups of circulation areas with wood slatted ceilings confirmed integration of customized wall washers and linear fixtures into the gaps between wood slats. In conference rooms, light is balanced with a combination of direct-indirect linear pendants with a batwing indirect component and concealed linear ceiling washers. In reception areas and waiting rooms, select architectural surfaces are washed with light, task surfaces are illuminated by fixtures integrated into ceilings, and supplementary light is provided by fixtures integrated into the architectural slatted ceiling.