In Memoriam: Peter George Rolland (MLA ’55)

The GSD remembers Peter George Rolland (MLA ’55), FASLA, who died peacefully at home in Rye, New York, on July 26, 2025, at the age of 95. As both a practitioner and educator of landscape architecture, Peter championed the collaboration of design disciplines, as reflected in his work, which integrates the built and natural environments.

Black and white close up photo of Peter Rolland smiling

Peter started his professional career in the offices of Hideo Sasaki, Perkins & Will, and Lawrence Halprin, and in 1963, he opened his firm Peter G. Rolland & Associates, Site Planners and Landscape Architects (later Rolland/Towers). He was a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects, a Fellow of the American Academy in Rome, and an Academician of the National Academy of Design. Peter received the Institute Honors for Collaborative Achievement from the AIA, and his firm received the Award of Excellence (Firm Award) from the ASLA, among many honors.

In addition to his professional practice, Peter encouraged, taught, and nurtured others through teaching, lectures, and design studios at Yale (where he was on faculty from 1973–1994) and as a visiting design critic at the GSD, Cornell, and the University of Virginia.

Peter will be deeply missed and remembered for his warmth, generosity, and charm, which built loyal, lifelong friendships and colleagues. He loved art and architecture, good company, travel, and lying in the sun. Peter is predeceased by his wife, Wendy Rolland (BArch ’56), whom he met at the GSD, and is survived by his children, Seth, Janna, and David Rolland (March ’87); grandchildren, Ben, Milo, and Cole; and brother, John.

Read more about Peter’s life and legacy .