[1] With the current material of sandblasted glass, the disks operate as a 'second skin' controlling solar gain and access.

An internal computer controls this facade by adjusting each cell with rotational motors, according to Melbourne's daily weather.

High ceilings, narrow corridors, and control of light within the space give a very dramatic atmosphere in the interior.

[3] The Design Hub engages with contrasting eras, with the classic history of Shrine of Remembrance in Saint Kilda Road which marks the other end of Melbourne's public axis as well as its neighboring buildings.

Inspiration for the lucid discs with its steel cylindrical structure came from the beer business that once ran on the CUB Brewery site.

[7] The Design Hub has a number of ESD features and incorporates strategies of water, waste and recycling management that contribute to its Greenstar rating.

[citation needed] Alan Davies, writing for The Urbanist, noted that many of the claims made for the building were unsubstantiated, particularly in relation to the capacity of the façade 'cells' to track the sun, as only a limited number can rotate, and these only on one axis.

[8] Criticisms have been levelled at the insular character of the building, which was considered antithetical to the role of a design education and research organization to invite public access and to make an appropriate response to activation of its urban setting.