Kahn originally planned Angell to form a "U" rather than an "I," although the administration subsequently decided not to proceed with the rear wings or campanile (a bell tower) that he envisioned. (See Kahn's a drawing of Kahn's proposal for Angell Hall in Ruth Bordin, The University of Michigan A Pictorial History, [Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan, 1967], p. 78.)

The final version (See Illustration 2) had an economized look to it, foregoing the additional buildings and hipped roofs of the initial concept. The earlier design had a more elaborate attic story articulated by a bold, horizontal belt course, and side wings projecting at two points. The elevations of the wings as built possess a strong vertical rhythm set by rows of pilasters three stories high. This verticality acts as a visual counter-balance to the dense horizontality of the central portico. Although many schools erected the largely symbolic campaniles in the 1910s and 20s, such as the University of California at Berkeley, Kahn removed the opulent tower from his final design. He later designed the simpler Burton Tower for the UM in 1936.