“Conceptually, when we started the design of the exterior, we wanted it to represent the state of Arizona,” said Steve Ater, Phoenix Convention Center construction coordinator. “The color of the glass represents the water, and the stone represents the stratus of the Grand Canyon - how it comes up through time and changes color. We really tried to get a feel of the state. [The convention center] is the focal point for out-of-town visitors.”
In total, 35,000 square feet of stone was utilized in the construction of the building. There are 88 varying color and size combinations that were implemented in the exterior design. The most common size was 2 feet, 6 inches long x 1 foot, 6 inches high x 5/8 inch wide. The colors of the stone include Yellow Multi Color, Yellow Musk and Terracotta - all with a natural cleft finish.