Louis I. Kahn’s FDR Four Freedoms Park Opens to the Public Today

<em><small>Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park © Paul Warchol</small></em> <p> After 40 long years of waiting, New Yorkers will finally see legendary architect Louis I. Kahn's vision for the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/photos-louis-i-kahns-four-freedoms-park-nears-completion-on-roosevelt-island/">FDR Four Freedoms Park</a> come to life on Roosevelt Island. The monument and new green space is set to open to the public this morning. If you can't make it today to see this powerful memorial to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, fear not. We snapped some <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/sneak-peek-louis-i-kahns-fdr-four-freedoms-park-may-or-may-not-open-tomorrow-on-roosevelt-island/fdr_louis-kahn-iconic-sketc/">sneak peek photos</a> to tide you over, so read on!

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Last week, the park was still under construction.

Workers washed the granite to get ready for the big opening.

This foam FDR head was just a decoy.

The real thing is now in its rightful place towards the "helm" of the park.

Though seemingly simple in its design, the park, which sits at the southernmost tip of Roosevelt Island, has received <a href="http://www.fdrfourfreedomspark.org/news/entry/new-york-times-tours-park">acclaim from some of the city's toughest architecture critics</a>, and after a visit last week, we were really able to see why many are calling it "NYC's new spiritual heart."

After meandering across Roosevelt Island, we made our way past the dilapidated and overgrown <a href="http://www.rihs.us/landmarks/renwick.html">Renwick Ruin Smallpox Hospital</a> when we finally saw it - a massive granite staircase that seemed to lead up to the sky.

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The park's “riprap” (a rock barrier that armors the edge of an island) was set by hand and is made up of 11,000 cubic yards of hand-placed granite gneiss, 65% of which was recycled from the site.

There are 120 Little Leaf Linden trees and five Copper Beech trees planted within the Park.

When planted, the Lindens were fifteen to eighteen years old and the Beeches were thirty years old.

Inside the "Room," a <a href="http://inhabitat.com/victor-serene-meditation-and-tea-hut-by-jeffery-poss/">meditative</a> space at the end of the park which was inspired by FDR's belief that any problem between individuals or nations could be solved by them sitting together to discuss things peacefully as around the family dining room table.

Kahn's vision was to set the giant 6' x 6' x 12' granite stones that make up the Room just 1" apart from one another, and the park's builders were able to achieve this ambitious goal.

The Four Freedoms: <p> 1) Freedom of Speech and Expression – the best defense against the corruption of democracy. 2) Freedom of Worship – our shield against the forces of bigotry, intolerance and fanaticism. 3) Freedom from Want – so that hunger, poverty and pestilence can be erased from the earth. 4) Freedom from Fear – calling for international institutions and agreements that will keep the peace, control armaments, prevent aggression, accept the Rule of Law, and assure social justice.

Visitors walking back from the Room on the park's western walkway, which faces the city skyline.