Fernando Wong


Fernando Wong is a Panamanian landscape designer born in Panama City. He moved to the United States in 2001 and established his landscape architecture firm, Fernando Wong Outdoor Living Design, Inc. in Miami Beach, Florida in 2005. Since then he has opened additional offices in Palm Beach, Florida and Southampton, New York. Wong has projects around the world and uses Classical Architectural Principles in his designs for large private gardens, public parks, museums and hotels. He has won several design awards.

Early life

Fernando Wong grew up in Panama City, Panama. He is the grandson of a Chinese immigrant. He trained in architecture, and graduated with a degree in interior design from the University of Panama. Wong's father encouraged him to be an athlete, so he competed as a swimmer and pentathlete from the ages of 19 to 24. Wong learned to speak English by watching American television shows. When he first moved to the United States he earned a living by doing renderings for interior designers and working on a landscape crew. The owner of the landscape company saw Wong's drawings, took him off the crew, and sent him to the office to work on designs.

Career

Wong established his company Fernando Wong Outdoor Living Design, Inc with his partner Tim Johnson in 2005.
When his roster of clients grew in Palm Beach, North Palm Beach, Florida and in Jupiter, Florida, Wong opened up a second office in Palm Beach, where his work has included creating landscaping for modern as well as historical homes. In 2017 the company opened a third office in Southampton, New York.
Wong's designs include a 15,000-square-foot sculpture garden at the Institute of Contemporary Art, 3 Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts in South Florida, a Starwood Luxury Collection Hotel called the Perry Lane in Savannah, Georgia, and a National Park in Nassau, Bahamas for the Bahamian government.
Wong designed the landscape and outdoor space at The Surf Club at the Four Seasons with Pritzker Architecture Prize winning architect Richard Meier. Wong also worked in collaboration with Paris-based architect/interior designer Joseph Dirand, Miami architect Kobi Karp and New York interior designer Lee Mindell. He went on to design the outdoor spaces for the Four Seasons Private Residences in Fort Lauderdale with London-based interior designers Martin Brudnizki and Tara Bernard.
In 2019 Wong was the honorary co-chair of the Chicago Antiques + Art + Design Show, along with award-winning interior designer Amanda Lindroth.
Because Wong was trained in architecture, he uses classical architectural principles in his garden designs, like scale, balance, harmony and symmetry. His designs are also influenced by his studies in interior design.
Fernando Wong has been featured in Elle Decór and Modern Luxury,
Garden Design Magazine, Forbes Travel Guide, Architectural Digest. the Miami Herald, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Harper's Bazaar, and Vogue

Awards

YearAwardAwarded byCategory
2011The DCOTA stars of Design AwardThe Design Center of the AmericasLandscape design
2018The Lesly S Smith AwardPreservation Foundation of Palm BeachLandscape design
2018Addison Mizner Landscape AwardThe Institute of Classical Architecture and ArtLandscape design
2018Luxe.Red Award for Residential Excellence in DesignLuxe.RedMiami regional winner for landscape design
2019Luxe-Red Award for Residential Excellence in DesignLuxe.RedPalm Beach and Broward regional winner for landscape design and outdoor living

Other

Fernando Wong is a member of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art. In 2019 Wong was appointed to the Palm Beach Landmarks Preservation Commission by the Palm Beach Town Council.