THE LOCATION: Roosevelt Island, NY

THE PROJECT TYPE: Archival Library

THE PROJECT:

The project utilizes heavy architecture to create a metaphor between knowledge and freedom and society, while also referencing Louis Kahn’s nearby FDR memorial. It explores architecture as a medium to express and question societal values, as well as possessing the power to influence the exchange of knowledge, and thus, society. 

The monolithic, heavy, and almost stone-like buildings represent knowledge through the concept of stability, while freedom is conceptually thought of as water, represented by the circulation paths, allowing users to have the freedom to go and do whatever they so please. As stone guides the path of water, knowledge guides society despite society’s free will and freedom. With the heavy monolithic libraries hovering over the passersby, the passersby feel the constant reminder of knowledge and its importance to society.

The title of this project, The Foundation, The Fountain, comes from this concept: the libraries are the "Foundation"--stable, solid, enduring (and sponsored by the Four Freedoms Foundation)--and the "Fountain" is the freedom that naturally flows from knowledge. 

The Foundation, The Fountain, is an archival library and cultural institution, commissioned by the Four Freedoms Foundation and located on Roosevelt Island, New York. Besides its dedication to the preservation and display of a wide range of artifacts that illustrate the values expressed in Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms speech to Congress, it also serves as a community hub. The Foundation Hall and private outdoor courtyard host a variety of community and educational events, while the site offers a variety of amenities to enhance visitors’ experience, such as a café, a restaurant, gift shops, a garden, and a public square.