

Held January 15, the ribbon-cutting declared the Center - a beacon of hope for many - open for business, one year after the ceremonial “wall-breaking” when construction began. From left, Edward Abraham, M.D., UM President Julio Frenk, Lois Pope, Eduardo C. With six times more clinical space than the old location and the capacity for twice as many ophthalmologists on staff, this modern facility will serve Bascom Palmer’s growing patient population for many years to come.With the cutting of a broad ribbon, a new era of breakthrough research and clinical treatment became a reality at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute’s brand-new Lois Pope Center for Retinal and Macular Degeneration Research, a 21,000-square-foot facility dedicated to ending blinding retinal diseases. Support offices for insurance verification, surgical scheduling and other administrative tasks adjoin the space. Registration space specifically tailored to Bascom Palmer ties online registration into a concierge design with stand-up registration stations for those who do not register online to improve efficiency. Reception, registration and lobby areas are intuitive and patient friendly, and wood, bendable resin and glass create a blend of futuristic and classic design in the reception area with clear sight lines throughout the building. With clinical space for the treatment of almost every known eye disease, the state-of-the-art center includes 20 exam rooms and eye lanes, a full surgical suite with two operating rooms, a photo suite, physician offices and an optical lab. The design enables visitors to easily locate the eye lane pods, nurse station and receptionist upon entry.

The building's exterior features transparent glass paneling in a series of interlocking shapes, and a cantilevered patient drop-off area provides shade to the main lobby’s glass-enclosed two-story atrium, which features custom sculptural pendant lighting inspired by the shape of an eye. The 21,200 square-foot facility designed by Gresham Smith and ophthalmology design expert Julio Ripoll, AIA, embraces the spirit of optic science by showcasing light and views of the local landscape.

Officials desired a modern space with an eye-catching aesthetic that captured the organization’s commitment to innovation in helping patients experience the visual world. When patient visits more than tripled in just eight years, the University of Miami’s internationally recognized Bascom Palmer Eye Institute needed a new home for its Naples location.
