Harry Weedon
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Harold William Weedon (1888 – 17 June 1970), known as Harry Weedon, was an English architect. Although he designed a large number of buildings during a long career, he is best known for his role overseeing the design of the Art Deco Odeon Cinemas for Oscar Deutsch in the 1930s.
He was a talented pianist and a former First World War pilot, serving in the Royal Flying Corps. He was divorced after demobilisation in 1917.
In 1939, Weedon founded the Weedon Partnership. He took the opportunity of the rapid expansion, throughout the 1920s and 30s and based the growth of the practice on a variety of commissions. The practice worked on projects in the fields of Housing, Commercial and Industrial Development. A factory in Birmingham for Deutsch and Brenner was historically the most important of these commissions as it led to the design of one of Oscar Deutsch's first cinemas. This established the well known Odeon house style which was in an Art Deco style. In all, the Partnership was involved in the design and construction of over 300 Odeon Cinemas across Britain.
Through links made with famous engineering firms during these early years, the Partnership later received many commissions from a host of companies working either directly or indirectly for the motor industry. Weedon Partnership is still in business and is based in Edgbaston, Birmingham. The practice employs 36 people.
The partnership has been involved in a variety of projects including ones at Brindleyplace (Birmingham), Piccadilly Place (Manchester), The Mailbox (Birmingham) and Hicking Pentecost (Nottingham).
