Part of the allure of the new National Center for Civil and Human Rights Museum in downtown Atlanta is its distinctive design.

The 42,000-square-foot, three-story facility is cradled between two powerful, convex-curved walls, a subtle representation of hands that suggest the spirit of strength, optimism and progress that the Center and its exhibits are designed to convey.

The exteriors of each flowing wall serve as a terra cotta rain screen envelope to ensure energy-efficiency and sustainability of the Center, but they will also hold creative panels that symbolize the people throughout the South and the world who have led great movements for social progress.

Thus, the walls bear pragmatic and cultural importance. So when specifying building materials, design architect The Freelon Group, and architect of record HOK knew that one exterior sheathing material was perfect for the critical job of protecting it — DensGlass® Sheathing from Georgia-Pacific Gypsum.

“Dens products are always at the top of our list (for specification), and we really needed them for this project,” said Michael Katzin, vice president for architecture, senior project manager and principle at HOK Atlanta. “We needed a product with the dimensional stability and flexibility to work with compound curves, and DensGlass was the natural choice.”

The #1 architecturally specified fiberglass mat gypsum sheathing for nearly three decades, DensGlass Sheathing — recognized by its distinctive GOLD color — is built to stay strong and provide superior moisture and mold resistance. The latter factors were particularly important for the Center, as they hastened the construction schedule, meaning that interior and exterior work could be done simultaneously.

“From our experience, we knew that DensGlass would provide the needed stability,” noted Katzin.

Because its fiberglass mats are embedded in the surface of the panel to make an integrated unit that offers superb strength, DensGlass® Sheathing provides outstanding resistance to delamination, deterioration, warping and job site damage. Its flexural strength is approximately the same in both directions, meaning it can be installed either vertically or horizontally without sacrificing wall strength between studs. DensGlass panels also protect and help stabilize structural framing — an important consideration for the curved walls of the Center.

DensGlass Sheathing provides a rigid substrate for a wide variety of air or waterresistive barrier systems, and for the Center protects its phenolic resin architectural panels and rain screen assembly featuring mineral fiber insulation and cold-rolled metal framing.

When tested, as manufactured, in accordance with ASTM D3273, DensGlass Sheathing (and other Dens® Brand panels) has scored a 10, the highest level of performance for mold resistance under the ASTM D3273 test method. Additionally, DensGlass Sheathing offers a 12-month weather exposure limited warranty.