Edwin F. Harris, nicknamed "Abie," was born January 7, 1934, in Elkin, North Carolina. He graduated from high school in 1952 and enrolled at the North Carolina State College, School of Design (later North Carolina State University, College of Design) to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in architecture. He graduated with honors in 1957. Harris was awarded a fellowship to travel to Paris in 1958, which he used in 1960 after a period of Army service. After returning from Paris, he worked for a Raleigh architecture firm and became a lecturer at the School of Design. In 1966, Harris joined the campus planning department and was quickly promoted to director of facilities planning. Although he was also an avid runner, Harris spent much of his spare time participating in design competitions and serving as a consultant on various projects. His honors include the grand prize in a planning competition for the University of Miami in 1986, election as American Institute of Architects Fellow in 1987, and the 9th Annual Frank B. Turner Award in 1991.