Stone, Edward Durell (1902-1978), was an American architect best known for his decorative use of concrete. Stone’s most famous buildings are almost completely enclosed in elaborate concrete screens that provide protection from the sun. Many of Stone’s buildings were commissioned for commercial, government, and academic clients outside the United States.
Stone was born on March 9, 1902, in Fayetteville, Arkansas. His early designs were influenced by German architect Walter Gropius in their clear geometric shapes, smooth surfaces, and extensive use of glass. This influence appears in the Museum of Modern Art (1939) in New York City and the Mandel House (1935) in Mount Kisco, New York. Stone began designing his best-known buildings in the 1950’s. The buildings include the American Embassy (1958) in New Delhi, India; the Ponce Museum of Art (1965) in Ponce, Puerto Rico; the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (1971) in Washington, D.C.; and the Standard Oil Building (now the Aon Center, 1973) in Chicago. Stone died on Aug. 6, 1978.
