The specific design of Waterscape is composed of two dimensional topographic fields of monumental granite slabs. The fields slope from Santa Clara Street toward the new City Hall plaza. Water flowing down the surface of the field laps onto the plaza in subtle ripples, and flows over the vertical stone on the fountain edges, disappearing beneath the plaza, creating walls of water that define the perimeter along Santa Clara Street. The water within the field is programmed to respond to changes in time of day, temperature, season and/or availability of water to create different visual, sonic and atmospheric qualities.

Within the field are a grouping of stone boulders surrounded by concealed water jet nozzles that will bubble and swirl around these boulders as if they are emerging or submerging from the water flow much like boulders in a river. Additional boulders are set into the plaza providing a variety of seating opportunities next to water feature.

Telescoping linear "vanes" of stainless steel tubing extend from the field and plaza 20 to 28 feet into the sky. These vanes deliver different qualities of mist or micro-mist through the air above the plaza to cool the plaza on warm days. The vanes move subtly in the air and form a delicate three-dimensional transparent screen, contributing to the plaza another layer of texture and a transitional scale between the pedestrian and monumentality of the building. On sunny days, the water vapor produced by the array of vanes will catch and refract prismatic light.