The Wasserman Building
Architecture of the Wasserman Building
The Wasserman Building: Home to the UCLA Institute of Urologic Oncology
Architecture of the Edie & Lew Wasserman Building
Named to honor the long-time UCLA supporters, the late philanthropists Edie and Lew Wasserman, the Wasserman Building at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA opened its doors in October 2014. Designed by Richard Meier and Partners Architects, the patient care facility is a LEED gold-certified "green," six-story building encompassing 100,000 square feet. It is a stunning example of modern architecture dominated by clean lines, white terracotta and pale oak, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows that flood the space with natural light and reveal dramatic views of campus from the upper floors. In addition to the UCLA Institute of Urologic Oncology (IUO), the facility also houses the Stein Eye Institute and the UCLA Global Neurosurgery Center. The UCLA IUO facility includes state-of-the art procedure and clinic space, as well as training and conference facilities.
A Work of Art
Calling the Edie & Lew Wasserman Building “the new gateway to UCLA,” Dr. A. Eugene Washington, former dean of the David Geffen School of Medicine, described the structure—which has received three architectural awards—as a work of art, a beautiful symbol of UCLA’s collaborative spirit and global impact.
The UCLA Institute of Urologic Oncology has continued to carry out the theme of art throughout the dedicated clinical and administrative spaces. The reception area of the IUO patient center and consultation clinic, featuring plush seating surrounded by artwork provided by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and a large-screen monitor presenting educational information to visitors, is designed to be a space of healing while providing added privacy for IUO patients.
Dr. Rebecka Belldegrun, a LACMA trustee and wife to UCLA IUO director, Dr. Arie Belldegrun, made the arrangements for the rotating exhibition of artwork within the UCLA IUO facility. Dr. Belldegrun believes in the importance of art within the medical setting as an uplifting element for patients, and of the spirit of community it brings to have an association with a major cultural institution such as LACMA.
We Built This For You, Our Patients
In October 2015 the UCLA Institute of Urologic Oncology (IUO) moved into dedicated space on the third floor of the Edie & Lew Wasserman Building at UCLA. The mission of the IUO and the physical space represents a dramatic break from the traditional medical approach by providing a “one-stop shop” for patients with urologic cancers – and eliminating the need for multiple visits and disjointed decision-making. In addition to a more personalized and convenient experience, the IUO aims to advance treatment and improve outcomes through better coordination and communication among a multidisciplinary team of experts from the disciplines of urologic oncology, medical oncology, diagnostic and interventional radiology, pathology, nursing, basic sciences and clinical trials.
“The UCLA Institute of Urologic Oncology is leading medicine into a new era of patient- centered care,” says UCLA Chancellor Gene Block. “This commitment to improving the experience of patients by bringing together all of the specialists they need represents an important step forward for urologic cancer patients, as well as a model for all of medicine.”