UC San Diego is in the midst of an historic period of growth. The campus’s transformation made front-page news in the San Diego Union-Tribune this weekend. The story detailed the numerous projects happening on campus, including plans to develop a new “grand entrance” to the university that will invite the community to visit and spend time at one of San Diego's top locations for of art, culture and entertainment—our university campus.

“Anybody who comes to San Diego should have this campus as a destination in addition to Balboa Park or the Gaslamp district,” I said in the article. 

The Pepper Canyon Amphitheater and Public Realm Project will create a new entrance to campus, reached by one of three UC San Diego Blue Line trolley stations that will open in the summer of 2021. A lively avenue will connect the open-air amphitheater, the new design and innovation building, and a new student-housing complex.

The space will also include a new Stuart Collection public artwork by artist Ann Hamilton. The proposed work includes a series of interactive swings and a 400-foot pathway leading into campus, embossed with quotations from faculty members who have taught throughout UC San Diego’s history.

The path leads up a reconfigured pedestrian and bike/scooter-friendly Rupertus Lane to the new Triton Pavilion. The downtown like neighborhood that will house Student Health, UC San Diego Extension, UC San Diego Global Education, and our first ever Alumni Center alongside new options for retail and restaurants. 

Other major construction projects happening across campus include the Torrey Pines Living and Learning Neighborhood—a mixed-use community with student housing and state-of-the-art academic facilities; the Engineering and Interdisciplinary Building; and the Downtown Innovation and Cultural Hub at Park and Market streets in downtown San Diego. The UC San Diego Extension satellite will connect to campus door-to-door in a 39-minute trolley ride.

All of these projects will begin construction between this summer and 2023. The metamorphosis is meant to enhance the student experience, enrich the campus community as a destination and spark research and innovation. Learn more about the campus transformation projects.

Watch the San Diego Union-Tribune video about changes coming to UC San Diego's La Jolla Campus: