On a sunny day, the galleria arches are reflected in highly polished, subtly veined stone. Only a few windows in the addition are vertical and flat. The rest are either tilted, curved, or both. One of the building's rare right angles are in a door linking the old building to the new, west galleria. He hopes visitors will be drawn toward the light.
Granite forms a European-style plaza along the west side of the new wing.
This plaza is part of a larger plaza and park that will be completed by the fall. Similar cables attach the mast to the addition, keeping it and the bridge in counterbalance. The bridge leads to the under-construction pavilion and grand entrance, both of which are scheduled to open this fall. It signifies the building's connection to downtown, as integral to Calatrava's vision as its arches and skylights. The ring beam resembles the hull of a ship, and cantilevers toward Lake Michigan.