Designs unveiled for civil rights museum

Five architectural teams vying to design the Center for Civil and Human Rights gathered this week to share their visions for the $125 million facility with the jury and the public.

The two public forums, held Tuesday and Wednesday, drew about 700 people and were part of the audition.

“We are choosing a team first and foremost,” says executive director Doug Shipman. “CCHR needs an architectural partnership that will work with the organization and the overall community in evolving their initial concepts.”

“The presentations were exhilarating,” Shipman says. “Given that they only had five weeks to develop a full conceptual design, each team provided very thoughtful and developed ideas.”

Though diverse, the proposals reflected a desire that their designs work symbolically as well as functionally and a belief that sustainability is a human right that should be addressed at the center.

The jury — composed of 13 civil rights advocates, architectural experts, local and national leaders — will make its recommendation to the center’s board on March 19. The winner will be announced by the end of March.

CCHR plans to break ground at its 2.2-acre site near Centennial Olympic Park late this year. It will open in 2012.

The designs will be posted on CCHR’s Web site by Friday. Comments are welcome.