UPD: The Freelon Group Bureau was named the winner of the competition. The building according to his design was opened in 2014.
The center has existed since 2005, but so far it does not have its own building. It is planned to be built on a plot of 0.89 hectares on the edge of the Olympic Park in the center of Atlanta. Moving to the new complex, the Center will become a memorial museum celebrating the contributions of Atlanteans and the entire state of Georgia to the historic struggle for African American freedom and equality; also its exposition will tell about the struggle for human rights around the world. There they will discuss, study and, possibly, find a solution to the conflicts that arise in the United States and different countries of the world during the struggle of disadvantaged layers and groups of the population for freedom.
The project budget is $ 125 million. One of the challenges posed by the organizers of the competition to the participants was to create a more relaxed and thought-provoking atmosphere around and within the Center than that prevails around (in this area of Atlanta there are large entertainment establishments).
Diller Scofidio + Renfro has developed a “layered” project that involves placing most of the exhibition space underground; the appearance of the ground part will be determined by the cantilever roof extension, which shades the garden space.
The Freelon Group variant features two L-shaped corten steel volumes with green roofs.
Huff + Gooden and Hammel Green and Abrahamson see the future center as a complex of glazed buildings, some of which are raised above the ground on supports.
Antoine Predok, project creator of the Canadian Museum of Human Rights, and Moody • Nolan have transformed their project into an almost entirely turf landscape. The glazed lobby of the building should attract the attention of visitors.
James Polezek suggests using the glazed walls of the Center as projection screens and marking the entrance with two narrow concrete stelae.
The winner will be determined at the end of March. Among the selection criteria are the environmental friendliness of the project, as well as the participation of women and representatives of national and other minorities in the team of architects.
Construction is scheduled to begin at the end of this year.
