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EDMONTON - Imagine the sweep of huge, curved sheets of stainless steel, as if the aurora borealis had descended from the heavens and settled, shimmering, over downtown Edmonton.

Imagine a massive glass and concrete "bag," like gift wrapping around new exhibition spaces suspended above the existing art gallery.

Imagine a rectangular glass skin, trimmed in aluminum, surrounding a new open interior that includes a towering main hall and galleries on either side.

Imagine three new galleries of different shapes and sizes plunked down atop the existing "brutalist" concrete building.

Over the next three years, one of these visions will likely be realized in a new $40-million expansion to the Edmonton Art Gallery, across the road from Sir Winston Churchill Square.

The new gallery will become the focal point of the city's revitalized arts district -- along with the Winspear Centre for Music and the Citadel Theatre complex -- and may well become a tourist destination itself.

At a news conference this morning, art gallery officials will unveil four amazing, artistic designs from the world-class architects competing to build a signature gallery that will change the face of downtown Edmonton.

The models and plans from Randall Stout of Los Angeles, Will Alsop and Zaha Hadid of London, England, and Arthur Erickson of Vancouver, will be on display at the gallery from Saturday until Nov. 27.

A technical panel will review each design before a selection jury chooses the winner. Their decision is expected to be announced in mid-October.

"We are so thrilled," said Tony Luppino, the gallery's executive director. "I guess we expected a lot, but I think it's beyond what we expected."

The project's total budget is projected to be $40 million, with three-quarters of that total earmarked for the construction of additions to and upgrades of the existing building, which dates from the late 1960s. The design competition itself is expected to cost about $500,000.

A technical panel will eview the designs to make sure they are practical and possible under the budget. A seven-member jury will meet on Oct. 5-7 to select one design.

On the jury with Luppino are:

- Architect Raymond Moriyama, who designed the Canadian War Museum.

- Architect Barry Sampson of the University of Toronto.

- Architect Lise Anne Couture, Asymptote Architecture, New York City.

- Vancouver artist Stan Douglas.

- Edmonton Art Gallery board chairman Allan Scott.

- And one member of the public, who is yet to be selected.

The jury's choice will be presented to the gallery board on Oct. 11. An announcement is anticipated two days later.

Though excitement about the project is building, money continues to be a roadblock. So far, the provincial government hasn't committed a dollar.

Luppino said the gallery is working closely with Community Development Minister Gary Mar and members of the capital region Tory caucus.

"We're haven't got firm commitments," Luppino said. "We need $15 million from the province. I know a lot of people say it should be more, and maybe it will be."