National Center for Civil and Human Rights

The HOK / Freelon Group team designed The National Center for the visitors’ ongoing education of civil and human rights. The building incorporates a high-performance exterior wall assembly, state-of-the-art environmental control systems, a green roof, and several energy-saving features.

The Center joins several civic buildings in the heart of downtown Atlanta’s Pemberton Place. The unique architectural “ship hull” form creates an intriguing lantern effect that welcomes visitors and is symbolic of the expression of interlocking arms during the Civil Rights movement. The program includes exhibit spaces, a gallery dedicated to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s papers, an atrium, multi-purpose spaces, and a public plaza which features a dynamic water sculpture.