Shiley Eye Institute at UC San Diego, La Jolla, California
Located on the East Campus of the University of California (UC) San Diego in La Jolla, Calif., the Shiley Eye Institute is a full-service academic eye care center and research facility offering comprehensive ophthalmology services. The institute is housed in a 3-story building with clinical space, offices, and laboratories on the first two levels and outpatient surgical suites on the third level.
To accommodate significant growth in patient demand, owner UC San Diego Health (San Diego) partnered with TEF Design (San Francisco) to renovate the facility. Completed in March 2025, the 25,817-square-foot project converts underutilized second-floor lab space into an expanded specialty clinic.
Upgrading care spaces and infrastructure
The project introduces 20 new exam rooms focused on specialized retina and glaucoma care. Additionally, the floor plan incorporates new diagnostic imaging and testing rooms, ophthalmic procedure spaces for in-clinic treatments, and a dedicated refractive and laser center.
Beyond spatial improvements, the project addresses the building’s infrastructure through critical seismic upgrades, building envelope repairs, and a roof replacement.
How to achieve LEED Silver in healthcare
The project earned U.S. Green Building Council LEED Silver certification by replacing an existing air handling unit, adding a new air handling unit, and implementing enhanced commissioning and advanced energy metering improvements.
Additionally, sustainable and low-emitting materials in the flooring, paint, and ceiling finishes are specified throughout. Indoor air quality strategies, such as interior cross-contamination prevention filtration and carbon dioxide monitoring (for mechanically ventilated spaces), also mitigate environmental impact.
Exterior renovations for outpatient facilities
Outside the building, targeted enhancements to landscaping and signage facilitate wayfinding. New illuminated channel letter signage, for example, helps patients identify the institute from afar and designates the building’s entry points.
A new elevator tower provides an entry landmark and establishes a northeast entrance. Lighting and walkway updates, as well as directional wayfinding signage, guide surgical patients to an existing south entrance and elevator, preserving operational separation between the clinical area and the third-floor surgical suite.
Shiley Eye Institute at UC San Diego project details
Location: La Jolla, Calif.
Completion date: March 2025
Owner: UC San Diego Health
Total building area: 25,817 sq. ft.
Total construction cost: $21 million
Cost/sq. ft.: $814
Architect: TEF Design
Interior designer: TEF Design
General contractor: Align Builders
Engineers: Nasland Engineering (civil), Degenkolb Engineers (structural), Salas O’Brien (mechanical and plumbing), Randall Lam Associates, Inc. (electrical and technology), Jensen Hughes (fire protection)
Cost estimating: Cumming Group
LEED consulting: Stok
Carpet/flooring: Interface, J+J Flooring, Crossville Tile, Mannington, Nora
Ceiling/wall systems: Armstrong, 9wood
Doors/locks/hardware: AD Systems, Integrated Doors and Frames, Cookson Company, Arcadia, VT Industries
Elevator: Otis
Fabric/textiles: Draper
Furniture—seating/casegoods: Steelcase
Handrails/wall guards: Construction Specialties
Lighting: Cooledge, LumenWerx, Kelvix
Signage/wayfinding: Stanford Sign & Awning
Surfaces—solid/other: Corian
Wallcoverings: 3M, Design Tex
Acoustic panels: Soundply by Navy Island
Skyroof: Kalwall
Project details are provided by the design team and not vetted by Healthcare Design.
