THE MUHAMMAD ALI CENTER
Louisville, KY
SKOLNICK directed the conceptual development, institutional planning, and design of this 96,000 sf facility honoring the achievements of Muhammad Ali and motivating visitors to be the “best me possible.” The complex includes a museum, a center for tolerance and understanding, a sports hall of fame, a commemorative archive, and a learning center providing an array of entertainment, educational, and recreational offerings to the public.
Services
Site Selection, Site Planning + Design
Concept Development
Institutional Planning
Architectural Concept Design & Consultation
Exhibition Development + Executive Design
Project Coordination
Size
96,000 sf
A HOMAGE TO ALI
The Muhammad Ali Center is prominently located on a riverfront site in the heart of Louisville’s downtown. The façade of the building is animated with colored ceramic-tile representations of images of Ali and the roof design is an homage to the famous Ali adage, “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” A giant torch also rises out of one part of the building, evoking the image of Ali lighting the torch at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
THE BEST “ME” POSSIBLE
The exhibition takes visitors through the dramatic arc of Muhammad Ali’s life, from his childhood in Louisville through fame and fortune as the three-time heavyweight champion of the world, and on to his involvement in politics and civil rights and his role as a world ambassador for basic human rights. Within this narrative, visitors discover Ali’s personal values, character, compassion, and extraordinary kindness. The experience encourages visitors to reflect on how they can approach issues of conflict, pain, and failure with a sense of purposeful resolution and ultimately affect positive change.
“In Lee Skolnick, we have found a partner whose commitment to architecture reveals a larger commitment to society and to humanity. He is a tireless and gifted artist who has carried this project forward to heights of meaning, purpose and beauty we could not have dreamed of. He has turned individual design problems into integrated opportunities, combining architecture and exhibits into a seamless and coherent experience which is the very greatest it can be!
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RELATED PROJECTS
AILERON CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATION
NATIONAL TRACK AND FIELD HALL OF FAME
THE CENTER OF HOPE