Monday, August 26, 2013

a brand new ancient ruin



American architect Louis Kahn died in 1974, but not before he designed the FDR “Four Freedoms” Park on Roosevelt Island.
from the brochure

Take the tram to the island and turn right. 
That’s it. 

The park opened last fall 40 years after he designed it, but this Summer was my first time through.


It’s cool.
 Kahn was known for symmetrical, monolithic majesty. 

These four images are of other works of his.


His style was nicknamed “monumental modernism” by the press.


But his vocabulary was anything but modern, it was based in ancient ruin.



Now here’s the park.

See? His style is everywhere.



A stark somberness nods to FDR’s legacy but it’s a great place to visit and take photos, too.




And the ride out, of course, is awesome.

jj

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