UC Berkeley Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry + Vision Science

A Satellite Center of Excellence at UC Berkeley

client

UC Berkeley
location

Emeryville, CA
size

38,000 SF
sustainability

LEED Gold

TEF adapted an industrial commercial building in Emeryville into the new satellite campus for UC Berkeley’s Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry & Vision Science. The mixed-use, LEED Gold facility consolidates specialty eye care programs for adults and children, nearly doubles clinical capacity to expand in-demand clinics hindered by space constraints at the Berkeley campus, as well as heighten opportunities for world-class education and research.

Vision Center Designed for More

Corridor seating area with blue chairs, side tables, wall-mounted digital displays, exposed ceiling structure, and wood slat accents. Several people sit and converse in the informal waiting space.

Child trying on eyeglasses at a consultation counter while an adult and another child watch. Illuminated eyewear displays filled with colorful frames line the background.

Eye exam room where a clinician adjusts a phoropter in front of a seated child. The room includes an examination chair and ophthalmic equipment in a clean clinical setting.

Entrance to the Academic Center framed in warm wood paneling, with exposed overhead structure and pendant lighting. A person in medical scrubs opens the door toward a bright learning space beyond.

A purpose-built satellite campus shaped to support a wider range of people, programs, and possibilities.

A Car Showroom Repurposed

Once a car showroom, the existing cold-shell structure offered generous height, daylight, exposed columns and trusses, and a distinct industrial character. The design builds on those qualities, retaining the original structure as a visible part of the new environment. Accommodating the program within the existing volume required the addition of a second floor, carefully shaped to preserve openness and daylight wherever possible. More compact ceiling heights support efficient clinical planning on the first floor, with taller public spaces above taking advantage of the original roof and trusses. A central stair and landing tie the two levels together and help orient people as they move through the building.

Upper-level corridor overlooking the atrium, with warm wood paneling, built-in blue seating, glass railings, exposed structure, and directional signage. People sit, walk, and gather along the open circulation space.

A New Model of Integrated Specialty Care

The Emeryville Clinic brings primary and advanced eye care services and treatment under one roof, offering a one-stop, coordinated experience, particularly for children and those with complex needs. Clinical services are organized around defined care lanes and shared support areas, improving efficiency and connection. Forty exam lanes support specialty clinics, including Binocular Vision, Neuro-Rehabilitation, concussion care, Myopia Management, Sports Vision, and special vision assessment. Integrated pediatric optometric care, a unique feature of the center, encompasses everything from well-baby and toddler clinics to disease management, binocular vision, vision therapy, and special needs eye care.

Clinical eye exam room with a patient seated at a slit-lamp microscope while two clinicians assist with the examination. Wall-mounted ophthalmic equipment, computer monitors, and diagnostic displays surround the exam chair.

Eye exam room with a patient seated in an exam chair while clinical staff review information and discuss care. Wall-mounted monitors, cabinetry, and ophthalmic equipment support the examination space.

Consultation area with staff assisting visitors at a long counter, with additional waiting seats along the wall. A large interior window reveals the adjacent stair and atrium beyond.

ediatric clinic waiting area beside a corridor of exam rooms, with blue seating, a toy chest, and children playing with an adult nearby. A gradient glass wall and colorful door graphics add a playful character to the clinical setting.

Pediatric eye clinic corridor with an open exam room where a clinician examines a seated child. Sliding doors, circular ceiling lights, and green graphic accents define the clinical hallway as staff and visitors move between rooms.

Accessibility as a Design Principle

Because the campus serves people with many visual abilities, TEF approached accessibility as a design principle rather than a matter of code compliance. The design considers how a person understands a building through touch, sound, contrast, texture, proportion, and sight. Changes in flooring, defined intersections between floors and walls, contrasting doorfronts, tactile materials, and acoustical cues help patients navigate independently. Clear geometry and detailing reinforce this wayfinding system without feeling institutional, supporting patient autonomy and dignity throughout the complex.

Bright eyewear center with illuminated display cases and glass-topped tables showcasing eyeglasses. Visitors browse the displays while staff work at consultation stations beneath exposed roof trusses and suspended lighting.

Weaving Together Care, Learning, and Public Life

In addition to the clinical program, the Center features a public eyewear center staffed by students and the Academy for Optometric Education, each with distinct access and security requirements. Clear circulation and a shared architectural language weave the rich and complex programs into a cohesive whole. The Academy, which features a 108 seat auditorium and a flexible multi-use room, extends the School’s mission beyond degree programs, offering optometrists an environment for continuing education and hands-on training.