Edmund Bacon (architect)

Edmund Norwood Bacon ( born May 2, 1910 in Philadelphia, † 14 October 2005) was an American architect, urban planner and author. He is the father of the actor Kevin Bacon.

Bacon studied at Cornell University in Ithaca, and the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills. He was a member of numerous committees for urban development and environmental issues, including 1970 an advisory committee appointed by the President of the United States.

Life's work

Edmund Bacon was instrumental in the planning of the new city center of Philadelphia, the principles of which were strong consideration. Its main objective was to restore through rehabilitation and organic integration of historical buildings in an urban city landscape and consistent traffic calming quality of living. Residential areas, parks, sports and meeting places as well as shopping centers with large pedestrian zones were clearly separated from the main roads. Bacon was also involved in the development of house types and general theories of modern urban planning, including aspects related to landscape. He produced several films about architecture and contributed to the documentation My Architect by Nathaniel Kahn with.

His friends included, inter alia, Richard Buckminster Fuller and Louis Kahn.

Works (selection)

  • Design of cities. Thames & Hudson, London 1982, ISBN 0 - 500-27133 -X ( reprint of New York 1974)
  • Urban planning. From Athens to Brasilia ( "Design of Cities" ). Artemis -Verlag, Zurich 1968.
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