The Legacy

Origins of
an Icon

Edward Durell Stone Jr.

Edward D. Stone, Jr. gained an appreciation for the wonders of the natural world while serving as an Air Force fighter pilot in the Korean War. Upon returning stateside, he earned a master’s degree in Landscape Architecture from Harvard University and then briefly worked for a Florida based landscape architectural firm before branching out on his own. With an entrepreneurial spirit and quest to make a difference, Ed quickly progressed from his garage to a walkup office above a boisterous saloon to the firm’s current headquarters in the heart of Fort Lauderdale.

Florida provided a fertile opportunity for the young firm with local, regional and international works in urban design, hospitality and recreation-based communities. Gaining momentum while working alongside Stone’s father, Edward Durell Stone, Sr., a distinguished architect, young Ed soon sought out the talents of David Armbruster, Joseph Lalli, Douglas Coolman, John Miller and J. Robert Behling to join the team and help grow the firm.

Ed encouraged and inspired generations of designers to make bold choices and stand with confidence in crafting innovative solutions that facilitate experimentation and pioneering design.

As a leader and mentor, Ed exuded a rare combination of charisma and warmth, infinite wisdom and sense of wonder. With a passion for collaboration and pronounced appreciation for the relationship between built and natural forms, he forever changed the face of planning and design. Yet, it was his unwavering love of people, the work and places of significance that best define his legacy.

©EDSA | Legacy | Crowfield Plantation Land Use Plan

In tribute to our history, we honor the memory of the trailblazers that came before us and welcome our clients, colleagues and constituents into the story of EDSA – a story that combines experience and curiosity with a powerful legacy of placemaking. Today, the EDSA team continues to practice as a global leader within the planning and design industry – maintaining a balance of public and private assignments around the globe and across industries.