Southern Poverty Law Center
Montgomery, Alabama

Located in Montgomery, Alabama, the Center is known for its years of courtroom accomplishments, legal victories against white supremacist groups, monitoring of hate activity across the country, national tolerance education, and the Civil Rights Memorial.

The work of the Southern Poverty Law Center is essential to this country in achieving equality for all. Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, Inc. served as the architect of record for all phases of work beyond schematic design on this new 6-story, 125,000 square foot headquarters building. The project consisted of two components: 1.)the Support Core design contains all support services and hard-wall spaces; 2.)the Office Block is designed in a column-free, open office environment with floor-to-ceiling glass. Also included was a double-height library/work space and a 3-level parking deck for 125 cars below the building.

The building design works to further the cause of Civil Rights through a variety of design issues. As an icon for the work of the Center, the building will act as a reminder that abuses of civil rights still are many and widespread.

The siting of the building takes advantage of these features by pushing back from the memorial to create a public plaza. This creates a precinct for the memorial and the new headquarters building. The spaces created within have specific and directed views of the Civil Rights Memorial, creating a visual connection between the civil rights activists of the past and those currently working for the cause.