Thank you, Edward Durell Stone, Jr. 1932 – 2009

Edward Durell Stone, Jr., son of modernist architect Edward Durell Stone, Sr., has died at the age of 76 in Florida.

Born in Norwalk, CT, Stone received his bachelor's degree in architecture from Yale and his master's in landscape architecture from Harvard. In 1960 he founded Edward D. Stone, Jr. and Associates in Fort Lauderdale, FL, which became one of the preeminent planning and landscape architecture firms in the world, receiving over 140 statewide, national and international awards. 3 different U.S. presidents appointed him to the Presidential Commission of Fine Arts. He seemed to focus on tourism and community-living projects in Florida, but had some pretty far-ranging projects as well, like helping design a panda preserve in China, working on high-end resorts in France, and other projects in the Caribbean and Europe.

But, being from Westchester County, NY, and having gone to SUNY Purchase for art school, I was most interested to learn that it was he who designed the sculpture gardens at PepsiCo's headquarters in Purchase, NY, over 30 years ago. Of course, his famous father designed the corporate headquarters itself.

Read what the NY Times wrote about the Donald M. Kendall sculpture gardens, and try to squeeze in a visit if you are ever in the area. We live only 35 minutes away, and I think I've only been there once! No excuse for that, as it is a really wonderful place – and free! – GF