Born in Manhattan, Reed earned a degree in history from Harvard College in 1938.
He also studied decorative arts at the École du Louvre in Paris.
[2] In 1952, he published his first work critical of modernism, a point of view he held until his death.
Reed lectured in the Department of Urban Planning at the University of Yale, made research on architecture and urbanism, gave walking tours of Manhattan’s historic architecture and neighborhoods, and published the book The Golden City in 1959.
It is awarded by the Notre Dame School of Architecture and sponsored by the Richard Driehaus Foundation.