UCSF has completed construction of Temescal Hall, a new 31,300-square-foot administrative support building at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland (BCH Oakland), a major milestone in the ongoing modernization of the hospital campus.
Temescal Hall is one component of the broader BCH Oakland Modernization Program, a multiyear effort to transform the historic pediatric hospital campus. The program’s next major phase is the construction of the New Hospital Building (NHB). Demolition of existing structures on campus is underway to prepare the site for the NHB groundbreaking, anticipated in spring 2027. Once complete, the new hospital will expand BCH Oakland’s capacity, accommodate state-of-the-art technology, and support the evolving pediatric care needs of Oakland and the broader region. Activation is anticipated in 2031.
Located across the street from the existing hospital, the three-story Temescal Hall building provides a modern, flexible workplace for up to 160 staff members, with dedicated private offices, reservable conference rooms, and touchdown workspaces designed to support collaboration among clinical and non-clinical teams
Temescal Hall also represents a significant step forward in sustainable design and construction at UCSF. The all-electric building is UCSF’s first mass-timber-frame structure, incorporating a building system that uses engineered wood for major structural components. Rooftop solar panels further support the project’s sustainability goals, and the building is on track to achieve LEED Gold certification.
Michael McDonnell, senior project manager for UCSF Health Major Capital Projects, oversaw construction of the building as part of UCSF Real Estate’s work to prepare the Oakland campus for its next generation of facilities.
The building’s design also reflects its connection to the surrounding community. Named Temescal Hall in recognition of Oakland’s Temescal neighborhood, the facility incorporates prominent work by Oakland-based artist Adia Millett. Adia created Wisdom of the Wind, a mosaic spanning part of the building’s exterior, as well as a mural in the foyer.
BCH leaders, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals Foundation board members, and the UCSF Real Estate team celebrated the building’s completion with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 2, 2026. Dr. Nicholas Holmes, President of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals and Senior Vice President of Children’s Services at UCSF Health, led the ceremony and spoke about Temescal Hall’s role in the transformation of the Oakland campus.
On Sept. 29, more than 100 BCH Oakland employees toured the building and had an opportunity to meet Adia and learn more about the artwork created for the facility.
The completion of Temescal Hall provides both new administrative space for the campus and an early example of the sustainable, community-connected design shaping the future of BCH Oakland.
Watch the Progress of Temescal Hall