Four Freedoms Park - A classic stone memorial 40 years later
After four decades, Four Freedoms Park, a memorial to Franklin D. Roosevelt in New York City, was finally realized, and it features large-scale stonework that provides a timeless feel
Just prior to his death in 1974, world-renowned architect Louis I. Kahn, FAIA, drew plans for Four Freedoms Park, a memorial to Franklin D. Roosevelt in New York City. Last year, Kahn’s vision finally became a reality, and the park relies on massive blocks of Mt. Airy granite from North Carolina Granite Corp. as a signature element that will endure for generations.
The concept of the park dates to the late 1960s, when the drive for urban renewal was becoming prominent across the U.S. Following this trend, New York City Mayor John Lindsay sought to transform Roosevelt Island (referred to as Welfare Island at the time) into a lively residential community.