The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and architectural firm Snøhetta on Wednesday unveiled designs for the institution’s 235,000-square-foot expansion. The building will run along the back of the museum and is expected to open in 2016. For more renderings of the expansion, click on the picture to the right.

Highlights

Exterior design

The building design takes inspiration from The City’s topography and proximity to water, with ripples carved into the concrete exterior and open staircases connecting levels inside. The building’s side slopes to allow sunlight to reach ground level.

New lobby

A new lobby area will connect the existing entrance and the addition by removing the existing front staircase. More ground-level space will feature free galleries, for an additional 33,000 square feet of public space.

Continuity with surroundings

Architects aim to create continuous flow within the museum and connect the new addition to the community by balancing features with neighboring buildings, offering more public space and ramping up educational opportunities.