The sloping roof, the curved ribs that front the galleria and the forecourt of boulders and shrubs together represent one of the city's most significant natural features - the escarpments along the Nechako and Fraser rivers. Constructed from Douglas fir, the ribs also speak to the importance of the forestry industry in the region.

Wood is used throughout the Gallery in places where visitors will experience it most directly, such as the floors of the exhibition galleries and the stairs leading to the second floor.