An alternative design for the CMS Global Calorimeter Trigger (GCT) is being implemented. The new design adheres to all the CMS specifications regarding interfaces and functional requirements of the trigger systems. The design is modular, compact, and utilizes proven components. Functionality has been partitioned to allow commissioning in stages corresponding to the different capabilities being made operational. The functional breakdown and hardware platform is presented and discussed. A related paper discusses the firmware required to implement the GCT functionality
