UCLA Doheny Eye Institute

Project Strategy

The Doheny Eye Institute, a top-ranked nonprofit organization for 75 years, proudly affiliated with UCLA Stein Eye Institute and dedicated to furthering the conservation, improvement, and restoration of human eyesight since 1947, tasked the design team with converting a previous corporate headquarters building into a world-class facility for today and the next generation of researchers, scientists, clinicians, and patients. Universal Metro was proud to do the design-build with the Abbott Construction and SWA Architect teams to create clearer ways of facilitating Ophthalmology research for generations into the future.

The team designed the new 123,300 square foot headquarters to feature 25,000 square feet of dedicated research space, an image reading center, and a state-of-the-art conference center to enhance a culture of academic excellence within the ophthalmology community. The space fosters a feeling of “technology meets healing” with its aesthetically pleasing and performance-based floor covering selections. The layout and creative use of floor covering allow new ways to help the team do the research and provide colleagues worldwide with standardized analyses and also how they think about the future of ophthalmology.

The grand opening in Pasadena on June 23, 2022, was celebrated with elected officials and invited guests with speeches from Doheny CEO, Marissa Goldberg, UCLA Representatives, and City of Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo welcoming Doheny Eye Institute to the community. “Doheny, Stein, and UCLA have one of the nation’s best teams to do this work,” said Marissa Goldberg, Chief Executive Officer, of Doheny Eye Institute. “Today, we celebrate this building’s promise for the next generation of researchers and clinician scientists.”