(1895–1990). The American humanist Lewis Mumford was an urban planner, architectural critic, philosopher, historian, sociologist, teacher, and essayist. He interpreted architecture and urban life in their larger social context—how they affect human beings and their environment. He was a forceful opponent of the dehumanizing tendencies of modern technological society.
Mumford was born in Flushing, N.Y., on Oct. 19, 1895. He studied at the City College of New York and at the New School for Social Research. While a student he was influenced by the writings of Patrick Geddes, who was one of the pioneers of modern urban planning. From 1927 to 1936 Mumford was coeditor of the fiction annual The American Caravan. He wrote about architecture for The New Yorker magazine from 1931 to 1963. He taught at such institutions as Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
In many of his writings, in books and periodicals, he analyzed the effects of technology and urbanization on human societies throughout history. His books include Sticks and Stones, published in 1924, The City in History (1961), and Sketches from Life (1982). The U.S. Medal of Freedom and knight of the Order of the British Empire were two of the many honors bestowed on him. He died in Amenia, N.Y., on Jan. 26, 1990.