Rodney Leon

Rodney Leon, founder and principal of Rodney Leon Architect PLLC has an architectural background as a designer on a diversity of building types in the U.S. and abroad. Mr. Leon has made the design of sacred and cultural places of memory a primary focus of his professional career. Over the last 20 years his architecture practice has developed an
expertise in Memorial Design, Cultural Planning and Faith Based Community Development. He is an advocate of “Culturally Contextual” contemporary design that integrates the histories and cultures of diverse communities into the
design process. Current memorial projects include a Master Plan for the historic African American Mt. Zion Cemetery in Washington, DC and the Enslaved African Memorial in Teaneck, New Jersey. Recent faith-based community development projects include the French Evangelical Presbyterian Church renovation and expansion in New York City
and the BPHN Senior Housing Development in Brooklyn. Currently he is working on a 7,000 SF museum exhibition space for the Cultural Museum of African Art in Brooklyn, NY. Mr. Leon is most widely known for being the designer of the African Burial Ground Memorial in New York City which is the first National Monument in the United States
dedicated to the contributions of people of African descent. Mr. Leon is also the winner of the international competition by the United Nations to design the Permanent Memorial to the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Mr. Leon’s winning entry entitled “The Ark of Return” was unveiled at the United Nations Plaza by Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon on March 25th, 2015.