FDR FOUR FREEDOMS STATE PARK | Louis Kahn

The FDR Four Freedoms State Park, located at the southern tip of Roosevelt Island in New York City, is a powerful architectural tribute to President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his vision for a more just world. Designed by Louis Kahn, the park was one of his final works, realized posthumously decades after its conception. The space unfolds through a symmetrical progression of open lawns, tree-lined paths, and granite elements that guide visitors toward a contemplative plaza known as "the Room." This open-air space, framed by towering granite blocks, overlooks the East River and Manhattan skyline, inviting reflection on Roosevelt’s ideals—freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. At its heart, a quiet bronze bust of Roosevelt anchors the experience. The design’s simplicity, monumental scale, and alignment with the city’s landmarks create a solemn yet inspiring environment that merges history, architecture, and landscape.