UCSF’s Barbara and Gerson Bakar Research and Academic Building took a pivotal step on September 28 with a formal groundbreaking ceremony for the new building. This new building is an innovative space that fosters collaboration between researchers across scientific disciplines to advance discoveries in health and science.
Located on the western edge of UCSF’s historic Parnassus Heights campus, this state-of-the-art structure is a key component of the revitalization project that began with UCSF Health Helen Diller Hospital, which broke ground this spring.
When the Bakar Research and Academic Building (BRAB) opens in early 2028, it will house research programs in cancer, microbiology, diabetes, immunology, and cell biology. It will serve as the future home of the UCSF School of Nursing and drive new advances in clinical practice and health equity. and support graduate-level education across UCSF while creating a state-of-the-art space for clinical trials.
“The Bakar Research and Academic Building is a key component of our project to reimagine the Parnassus Campus and will serve as a hub of innovation in biosciences, health, and graduate education for years to come,” said Sam Hawgood of UCSF. said the Principal (MBBS). “UCSF is known for collaborative and creative research. This will be the cornerstone of a revitalizing project that brings together our most creative minds to address the world’s biggest health challenges.” .”
Expand research and education. The new nine-story building is scheduled to open in early 2028. The space will foster cutting-edge research collaboration, and the third floor will house the School of Nursing.
Open areas that encourage discovery
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“By intentionally bringing people from multiple disciplines together in one intersectional space, you are ultimately investing in innovation.”
Katherine Lucey, MD, MACP, UCSF Executive Vice President and Provost
Designed by architecture firms HGA and Snøhetta, this $842 million building is designed to create a new model for education that taps into the wealth of curiosity and knowledge that makes UCSF so unique. It was a collaborative process from the beginning, with input from academics, researchers, and campus leaders.
“This is an investment in our research and education aimed at supporting both our current research and a new generation of innovators,” said Catherine, MACP, UCSF Executive Vice President and Provost. said Lucy, MD. “The open floor plan and wide staircase are specifically designed to create impromptu meetings that spark new ideas. By bringing people from multiple disciplines together in one space and intentionally intersecting them, we will ultimately invest in innovation.”
The building will serve as the new home for major projects including the Benioff Center for Microbiome Medicine, iMicro, Bakar ImmunoX, and CoLabs. Research spaces are focused on promoting team-based science, and laboratories are organized by discovery themes rather than disciplines to foster scientific progress. The facility also features a seventh-floor skyway that connects to the Clinical Sciences Building, further enhancing the interdisciplinary research from the bench to clinical care that UCSF is known for.
The 323,000-square-foot facility, built into a hillside, will have nine stories above ground on the west side and eight stories on the east side. The third level, where the School of Nursing will be located, is intended to strengthen collaboration in nursing research and education to improve care.
Open areas that encourage discovery
Delete this text and add an image using the embed button.
“By intentionally bringing people from multiple disciplines together in one intersectional space, you are ultimately investing in innovation.”
Katherine Lucey, MD, MACP, UCSF Executive Vice President and Provost
Designed by architecture firms HGA and Snøhetta, this $842 million building is designed to create a new model for education that taps into the wealth of curiosity and knowledge that makes UCSF so unique. It was a collaborative process from the beginning, with input from academics, researchers, and campus leaders.
“This is an investment in our research and education aimed at supporting both our current research and a new generation of innovators,” said Catherine, MACP, UCSF Executive Vice President and Provost. said Lucy, MD. “The open floor plan and wide staircase are specifically designed to create impromptu meetings that generate new ideas. By bringing people from multiple disciplines together in one space and intentionally intersecting them, will invest in innovation.”
The building will serve as the new home for major projects including the Benioff Center for Microbiome Medicine, iMicro, Bakar ImmunoX, and CoLabs. Research spaces are focused on promoting team-based science, and laboratories are organized by discovery themes rather than disciplines to foster scientific progress. The facility also features a seventh-floor skyway that connects to the Clinical Sciences Building, further enhancing the interdisciplinary research from the bench to clinical care that UCSF is known for.
The 323,000-square-foot facility, built into a hillside, will have nine stories above ground on the west side and eight stories on the east side. The third level, where the School of Nursing will be located, is intended to strengthen collaboration in nursing research and education to improve care.
“As a leader in innovative research that improves health quality and equity in the diverse communities we serve, the School of Nursing is excited to have a new permanent home in the Bakar Research and Academic Building. ” said Carol Dawson Rose, Ph.D., RN. Ms. FAAN is dean of the UCSF School of Nursing and serves as vice provost for nursing affairs. “With its state-of-the-art design, this building will provide important collaborative space for future nursing and sociology leaders to study and train, promoting excellence in research, clinical practice and education. ”
The facility will be the centerpiece of efforts to modernize the campus as a training ground for the next generation of scientists and students, as well as the scientists and students who will be allocated space within its walls. The building will not only make way for state-of-the-art bench-to-bedside research space, but will also serve as a temporary home for research and academic groups, while the next phase of the comprehensive Parnassus Highlands Plan Additional facilities will be upgraded. 2050.
Built to support natural ecosystems
The 30-year plan will also create a welcoming campus that showcases and enhances the natural environment. Classrooms open onto a courtyard that connects to a publicly accessible green corridor across campus that connects Golden Gate Park to the Mount Sutro trail, and a public observation deck offers stunning views of the Marin Headlands and Golden Gate Bridge. you can see.
Part of the plan, known as the Parnassus Central Campus Site Improvement (PCCSI) project, will provide needed infrastructure improvements to the heart of the Parnassus Heights campus adjacent to Saunders Court.
Faculty, faculty, and university leaders helped design the facility to be a place that not only fosters new advances in science and medicine, but also helps revitalize the nearby community.
“The ideas and imagination that went into these plans are becoming real, physical locations,” said Alicia Murasaki, campus architect and assistant vice chancellor for campus planning. “We are breaking ground to turn their ideas into concrete, steel reality.”
The Bakar Research and Academic Building is on track to achieve U.S. Green Building Council LEED Gold status, providing an opportunity to improve energy efficiency and support UCSF’s fossil fuel-free efforts. It exceeds industry standards for laboratory energy usage and is projected to use 40% less water than the norm for such structures.
