Working with a multidisciplinary team led by renowned child psychiatrist and human geneticist Dr. Matthew State, ZGF identified program priorities and potential synergies through the integration of clinical, training, and research functions in one building. The result is UCSF's first co-location of research and mental healthcare for pediatric and adult patients. The building also brings members of the department of pediatrics, neurology, radiology, neurosurgery, psychiatry, anesthesiology, and obstetrics/gynecology together. To support the various disciplines are spaces that include medical consultation rooms, patient and visitor waiting rooms, and dry labs. A lush rooftop garden is accessible for meetings between staff and patients while enjoying access to fresh air and biophilia. The facility interior is designed to encourage collaboration, providing the setting and resources for advancements in research and patient care. Careful attention was given to strategies that draw researchers and practitioners outside of traditional workplaces and promote interdisciplinary engagement, including open workspaces, collaboration spaces, and staff lounges.
One of UCSF's goals for the uniquely interdisiciplinary building was to go a step further and advance understanding and research beyond the university. To that end, a 180-seat auditorium and associated convening center sits at the base of the atrium. The auditorium and convening center provide space to host meetings and exchange ideas among members of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, the broader UCSF neuroscience community, the Bay Area community, and numerous national and international partners, learners and collaborators.