Project Description
In Montgomery, Alabama sits a moving tribute to a tragic and not-so-distant past. The Peace and Justice Memorial Center is part of the Memorial to Peace and Justice Park and Pavilion complex designed for The Equal Justice Initiative (EJI). The site serves as a National Memorial to victims of lynching and racial violence.
The design and development of the building complements the Memorial to Peace and Justice Park and Pavilion complex and provides for both added program functionality including a gift shop and auditorium as well as additional space for visitor’s parking.
In addition to the conventional tasks of programming, design, and budget. The design and construction of the facility faced two primary challenges. The first was delivering the facility under an aggressive schedule. These challenges were successfully addressed by first, conducting a design charrette with EJI Founder, Bryan Stevenson and the EJI staff. Under the leadership of Clay Dorsey, Founder and Principal of Dorsey Architects, the conceptual design for the Peace and Justice Memorial Center was completed and approved in one exhaustive day. The design and construction of the facility was Fast Tracked by utilizing Dorsey’s Project Delivery methodology of overlapping design and construction activities.
The second challenge was offering an attractive and aesthetically pleasing design proposal while
simultaneously responding to, saluting, and respecting the monumental power, emotion,
and cultural significance of the Memorial to Peace and Justice Park in a humbling approach which was addressed by providing a monumental entry with a granite memorial wall water feature with names inscribed commemorating 24 men and women lynched or killed in racially motivated attacks during the 1950s, including Emmett Till and voting rights activists Harry and Harriette Moore. The deaths memorialized at the Center sparked protests and activism that fueled more than a decade of social change.
Also, in addition to the aforementioned, the facility was carved into the existing landscape featuring a raised terrace area that serves as a “porch” and providing a panoramic view of the Memorial to Peace and Justice Park and the Memorial Peace Garden (also designed by Dorsey Architects).
The Peace and Justice Memorial Center’s selected colors and materials, which are in contrast to the colors and materials of the Memorial to Peace and Justice Park and Pavilion, represents bringing light on a dark time in our society.
The Center serves as a space where visitors can learn more about America’s history of racial inequality, explore the work of EJI, and engage with artists and thought leaders for a deeper understanding of human rights.