Arm in arm, men and women of diverse cultures and backgrounds join in solidarity - moving forward with strength and determination to advance the ideals that unite them.  Linked together, the human chain cannot easily be broken.  This powerful image of unity - as common today as in the time of Martin Luther King, Jr. – is the idea which has driven the design of the Center for Civil and Human Rights. 

The simple yet powerful image of interlocking arms also invokes the spirit of exploration and collaboration that is central to the CCHR’s mission – signifying the linkages that empower individuals and groups of seemingly divergent interests to find common ground.  Through this iconic form, discernable from ground level and from above, the very structure of the CCHR embodies the goals and ideals of the institution.   

The terra cotta rain screen which covers the building alludes to the long history of brick architecture in the south while providing a state-of-the-art exterior envelope that is environmentally sustainable and well suited to the site.  Emerging from the earth (terra firma), the building is clearly of the earth.  Storm water is managed through the use of green roofs, bioswales and reflecting pools on site. 

Conceived with sustainability as a primary consideration, the CCHR stands as a demonstration of best practices in environmental design.  Through supplemental exhibits, this “green” building will show that conservation and the stewardship of the earth’s natural resources are fundamental human rights issues. 

Atlanta is a hub – the capitol of the “New South” and a crossroads where historically blacks and whites have coalesced in the spirit of mutual respect and cooperation.  So too will the Center for Civil and Human Rights be a crossroads – for discussion - drawing visitors and scholars from around the world.  A place where all voices are heard, the CCHR’s content, programs and most especially its powerful architecture and exhibits will redefine Atlanta as the global epicenter of scholarship and discourse for all things relating to Civil and Human Rights.

Model Photography: Mark Herboth