Leon Bridges FAIA

Born August 18, 1932 in the East Los Angeles barrio of Boyle Heights, Leon Bridges (BArch UW 1960) spent his youth in Los Angeles.  While a junior high school student, he met his mentor, famed African American architect Paul Williams.  He attended East Los Angeles Junior College, LA City College, and UCLA before entering the military in 1952 (stationed in Japan), and continued to study architecture while a soldier.  He also pursued an acting career, appearing as an extra in several movies and touring with the Griffith Park Greek Theatre Light Opera Company 1950-52.

Upon completion of his University of Washington architecture studies, Leon worked as a draftsman for the Seattle architecture firm Gotteland and Koczarski 1961-63.  Bridges formed his own architecture firm, Leon Bridges AIA, in 1963.  In 1966, he formed a partnership with colleague Edward Burke.  They practiced together until 1972 when Bridges relocated his firm to Baltimore, Maryland, where he became Maryland's first registered African American architect.