Healing Design at UCSF’s Pediatric Stad Center

San Francisco, CA

As healthcare grows more interdisciplinary, designing space for collaborative care is vital. Yet in dense urban settings, real estate is scarce—especially for complex specialties. At UCSF’s Pediatric Stad Center, multiple therapies come together under one roof, imbuing its collective space with nature-inspired interiors and uplifting environmental graphics for young patients.

The clinic unites three pediatric services into one location—pain management, palliative care, and physical therapy—to provide the greatest relief possible with the fewest side effects. Its integrated design enables teams to share resources and maximize clinical space. Calming nature imagery, curved hallways, a digital waterfall, and multisensory features offer positive distraction and reduce anxiety for young patients.

Features

Woven throughout the clinic are nature-centric, interactive design elements drawn from San Francisco’s diverse ecosystem to comfort and calm young patients. The design brings to life four natural landmarks—the forest, tidal pools, waterfalls and ocean—through digital and analogue installations.

To create a non-clinical feel, at the heart of the project is a shared central space that challenges the typical use of a waiting room. This central hub not only serves as a waiting area, but is also a play area, family room and hallway. Infused with abundant daylight and adaptive artificial light, its sinuous form and simple materials serve as a healing backdrop for young patients and their loved ones.

To help diverse stakeholders envision their new space together, the design team used virtual reality and 3D modeling to illustrate multiple cutting-edge design opportunities within the small footprint. By dedicating real estate to shared resources and amenities, the design maximized space for clinical treatment areas while relocating private offices and non-essential programs to adjacent suites and buildings.

Project Details

Client Name

University of California, San Francisco, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals

Square Footage

6,500 SF

Program

Reception, lounge, exam rooms, consult rooms, multisensory room, community room, physical therapy room

Services

Interior design, environmental graphic design, lighting design

Phase

Completed