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A horizontal void, programmed with public activities, is placed against the vertical density of Manhattan. By organizing the design horizontally, rather than competing for height, the design will transform the half finished F.D.R. Memorial into a topographic platform, an abstract landmark for the city, without being clearly representative or symbolic. This platform offers spaces for planting, leisure and outdoor activities. The foyer becomes a meeting point for the people of New York, offering a dynamic public field for exhibitions, cafes and restaurants. At night the building becomes part of the urban landscape, transforming into an active showcase for the city, offering views inside, through layers of light and color.

Carl’s research for the competition included cubist ‘dazzle painting’ used on battleships in WWI, which he used to “find a principle to generate patterns and structures (camouflage).”