The design maintains the building’s historic character by refurbishing materials where necessary and selecting new ones in response to the original architecture. The distinctive exterior comprised of cream-colored brick with a black granite base, limestone surrounds, and pressed aluminum spandrels was cleaned and restored.

The four-story building includes galleries for exhibitions and public programs, a library, a Printed Matter bookstore, and a rooftop terrace and garden. A new steel and concrete public staircase runs the vertical length of the building and utilizes a glass storefront on the second floor to add transparency, activate the spaces, and encourage circulation through the galleries.

A new elevator brings accessibility to all floors and features an installation by artist Pamela Rosenkranz, who selected a palette of interior finishes to resemble the color of the SI Director’s tongue. In addition to the double entry doors, an operable window and 17’-7” ceilings on the ground floor will accommodate larger artworks, allowing SI to stage exhibitions of works of significant scale that were previously unimaginable.

The rooftop is reinforced to accommodate a garden terrace that will host rotating art installations and events. A trellis on the Southern edge of the building offers shade and is seen from the street level, while visitors enjoy artist Michael Wang’s SI ONSITE installation — comprised of aluminum planters housing endangered plant species — as well as Valentine Carron’s Vecchio Cuore, 2018 — a heart-shaped pine dance floor — and views of Manhattan’s skyline.