The New Museum of Contemporary Art's mission to reflect the ever-changing nature of contemporary art through open exchange was at the heart of its plans for a new building on Manhattan's Lower East Side. The institution launches its 30^th year with "New Art, New Ideas" as its mantra, and an opening celebration that runs nonstop for 30 hours this weekend. At the media walkthrough yesterday, the place hummed in anticipation.

The building was designed by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa/SANAA, a young Tokyo-based architectural firm, and is the first art museum ever built from scratch in Lower Manhattan. Consisting of a series of cubes stacked askew, that rises seven stories over its low-slung neighbors, the building's shimmering surfaces change dramatically as sunlight and atmospheric conditions shift.

At street level, a wall of glass gives visitors a preview of what lies within: white spaces that gleam with light and a rough beauty that comes from the contrast between refined surfaces and industrial materials. In the lobby, the museum's shop is contained within a serpentine screen fashioned from the anodized aluminum mesh that clads the exterior. Contrasting materials and textures in a palette of pale neutral shades prevail, punctuated here and there by a burst of color, such as the acid green panels that line the elevators. Polished concrete floors create a uniform surface that unites the formal spaces, while in the stairways, the concrete is left unfinished.

Photos by Peggy Roalf

In the galleries, one of which soars to a height of 24 feet, natural light seeps in through skylights, and through well-placed windows that offer sweeping vistas across the cityscape. Between the third and fourth floors is one of the museum's most exhilarating spaces: a stairway that's just 4 feet wide and 50 feet high, bathed in eerie light. The stair landing becomes a tiny exhibit space called The Shaft, with a window on the opposite side.

The museum's education department occupies the fifth floor, with multimedia presentations and workstations, screenings, lectures and other public events. In the Skyroom, an event space at the top, floor-to-ceiling glass walls open up spectacular views on three sides. From this vantage point, the future of the Lower East Side will unfold as new buildings continue to rise from Manhattan's last mutable landscape.

As of yesterday, all free tickets for the weekend opening, sponsored by Target, had been distributed. Any no-show tickets will be made available on the spot, but with no guarantees. Please check the website for details.