The Lewis Center acts as an instrument to bring different disciplines together, shaping the program through three buildings. Each of the three has interiors that were developed uniquely. The Wallace Dance Building and Theater was developed according to the idea of a “thing within a thing”. The interior of the Wallace Theater (black box) is finished in perforated black steel, while the Hearst Dance Theater is finished in foamed aluminum; the Roberts Dance Studio, in whitewashed wood; and the Murphy Dance Studio, in board form concrete. A "dancing stair" connects all levels. The Arts Tower is developed with an “embedded” concept. Its concrete and stone tower references the proportions of the University's nearby historic Blair Arch. The Music Building is developed according to an idea of “suspension”. Above the large orchestral rehearsal room individual practice rooms are suspended on steel rods. Acoustically separate, these individual wooden chambers have a resonant quality. Overlook views into the dance and theater practice spaces and the orchestral rehearsal space are aimed at provoking curiosity and interaction. The buildings are connected underground by the 8,000 square-foot open Forum below the outdoor plaza. The Forum serves as an indoor gathering space and lobby for the various arts venues in the complex. The outdoor plaza, which features a reflecting pool with skylights that filter natural light into the Forum below, is a gateway space to connect the local community to the University and to invite curiosity and interaction.