He was inspired by a famous speech in the English House of Lords in 1935 in which Viscount John Sankey, arguing on behalf of a condemned man in Woolmington v. Director for Public Prosecutions, spoke of the enduring “golden thread” in that country’s body of criminal law that requires the prosecution to prove a defendant’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

Adams said he was forced to substitute blue for gold, however, observing that gold didn’t work – “it registers as black when the light comes through.” His circular thread is broken in spots by clear panes of glass and, stretching vertically for three stories, can be seen in its entirety only from the outside. “Law is an imperfect circle. The prosecution and the defense don’t really come together,’’ Adams remarked.

Dean Solomon said that most people have been enthusiastic about the installation. “But as with all art, it’s controversial,’’ he noted. “When you’re inside the building, you can’t see the whole sculpture. If you’re on the upper floor of the bridge, you can only see the top third of the sculpture, and from the student lounge, you can see the bottom two-thirds. Some people find that a little disquieting.”

The new 55,000-square-foot East building itself represents a substantial departure from old design models, with spaces that promote community among law school students, faculty, staff, and graduates.

Gone, for example, are both the cloistered study spaces and the auditorium-sized classrooms that pack in up to 100 students. Its classrooms and seminar rooms are designed for small to midsize sessions. The clinical rooms allow for the expansion of the law school’s growing portfolio of clinical and pro bono programs that serve the community. The Archer & Greiner Moot Courtroom, with a bank of windows along one wall, embraces light and transparency in the legal system. It will be used by the New Jersey Supreme Court and the New Jersey Appellate Division for active sessions.

The $37 million project also includes substantial renovations to the existing 1971 structure, which will be completed by the start of the spring semester.

Adams said he had never worked in glass before, but he was eager for the challenge, although he called glass a “very unforgiving medium” as it is both heavy and fragile. He said he inadvertently chose a pink color that turned out to be the heaviest and most difficult to manufacture. “I believe in creative ignorance. By not knowing, you break the rules,’’ he said.

Moran said he viewed Adams’ inexperience in glassworks as an interesting challenge, rather than a problem. “We like to send artists, whether they are emerging or established, in new directions,’’ he said.

In addition to Adams, the building committee’s short list for the project included Ned Smyth, known for his public sculptures and mosaics in places like Battery Park City, and David Wilson, whose specialty is large-scale architectural glassworks.