Rodney Leon is an American architect. He is the founder of Rodney Leon Architect. He is the designer of the monument '' The Ark of Return'', and the memorial for the New York City

African Burial Ground National Monument African Burial Ground National Monument is a monument at Duane Street and African Burial Ground Way (Elk Street) in the Civic Center section of Lower Manhattan, New York City. Its main building is the Ted Weiss Federal Building at 290 Broadway ...

. He specializes in urban planning projects in the United States of America, and abroad, projects with cultural, residential, and religious. He is a member of The Haitian Roundtable (HRT). It is an organization of the Haitian-American professionals committed to civic engagement as well as philanthropic endeavors to benefit Haiti. It was started in 2008.

Early life

Leon was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. His parents were immigrants from Haiti.

Career

In 1992, Leon received a Bachelor of Architecture degree from

Pratt Institute School of Architecture The Pratt Institute School of Architecture is the architecture school of the Pratt Institute, a private university in New York City. In 2020, the program was ranked among the ten best architecture schools in the United States. Alumni include Pas ...

in New York City. In 1995, he received a Master of Architecture from

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...

. From 1998 to 2003, he was visiting design professor at Pratt Institute School of Architecture in New York City. In 2003 he was 2nd year design coordinator for Pratt in 2003. He is as an adjunct professor of advanced design since 2009. Since 2014 Leon is a capital and planning grants reviewer for the New York State Council of the Arts. In 1998, Leon submitted a proposal to design the

in New York City. He was one of the five designers selected from 61 applicants. In 2005, he was designated the official designer for the monument. Rodney Leon was designer, and co-founder along with Nicole Hollant-Denis of the AARRIS Architects were chosen to build the $3 million permanent memorial. The memorial was built on the colonial-era burial ground of enslaved Africans in lower Manhattan, in New York City. The grave site was found in 1991. Leon is the designer of '' The Ark of Return'', a permanent memorial to victims of the

Atlantic slave trade The Atlantic slave trade or transatlantic slave trade involved the transportation by slave traders of Slavery in Africa, enslaved African people to the Americas. European slave ships regularly used the triangular trade route and its Middle Pass ...

. His design was chosen by

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

as part of an international competition. It is installed at the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...

Plaza in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, where it was unveiled on March 25, 2015 as part of the United Nations'

International Decade for People of African Descent The International Decade for People of African Descent, 2015–2024, was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in a Resolution (68/237) adopted on 23 December 2013. The theme of the International Decade was "People of African descent: recognition ...

and to commemorate the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Secretary-General of the United Nations

Ban Ki-moon Ban Ki-moon (born 13 June 1944) is a South Korean politician and diplomat who served as the eighth secretary-general of the United Nations between 2007 and 2016. Prior to his appointment as secretary-general, Ban was the South Korean minister ...

Sam Kutesa Sam Kahamba Kutesa (born 1 February 1949) is a Ugandan politician, businessman and lawyer involved in several corruption cases. By the marriage of his daughter Charlotte Kutesa Muhoozi with Muhoozi he became part of the inner circle of preside ...

the President of the

United Nations General Assembly The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA or GA; , AGNU or AG) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), serving as its main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ. Currently in its Seventy-ninth session of th ...

, and Prime Minister

Portia Simpson Miller Portia Lucretia Simpson-Miller (born 12 December 1945) is a Jamaican politician who served as Prime Minister of Jamaica from 2006 to 2007 and from 2012 to 2016. She was leader of the People's National Party from 2005 to 2017 and Leader of the O ...

of Jamaica were the ribbon cutters during the unveiling ceremony. Leon is a member of

American Institute of Architects The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C. AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach progr ...

(AIA), and

National Organization of Minority Architects The National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) is a professional organization for individuals practicing architecture and allied professionals to advance justice and equity in communities of color. History In 1968, activist and executiv ...

(NOMA). Leon and Nicole Hollant-Denis are the principal architects for Belle Rive Residential Resort in

Jacmel Jacmel (; ) is a commune in southern Haiti founded by the Spanish in 1504 and repopulated by the French in 1698. It is the capital of the department of Sud-Est, 24 miles (39 km) southwest of Port-au-Prince across the Tiburon Peninsula, and ...

Haiti Haiti, officially the Republic of Haiti, is a country on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and south of the Bahamas. It occupies the western three-eighths of the island, which it shares with the Dominican ...

. It is a private resort style residential development with 94 townhouses, tower apartments, and a 120-room four start hotel and private club.

Architectural projects

Cultural designs

* The Ark of Return * African Burial Ground Memorial * Museum of Contemporary African Diaspora Arts * National Hip Hop Museum Master Plan * Salvation Army Community Center in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn

Residential

* Belle Rive Residential Resort Master Plan * River Front View * Le Coeur Vert * Haiti Softhouse * Cycle of Life Housing

Religious

* Islamic Cultural Center * French Evangelical Church * Convent Avenue Baptist Church Leon is a member of American Institute of Architects (AIA), and National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA). Leon and Nicole Hollant-Denis are the principal architects for Belle Rive Residential Resort in

. It is a private resort style residential development with 94 townhouses, tower apartments, and a 120-room four start hotel and private club.

References

External links

African Burial Ground Exterior MonumentArk of Return Brochure United Nations Ark of ReturnArchitect Rodney Leon visits United Nations HeadquartersRodney's Journey: Making the ark of return''The Ark of Return''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leon, Rodney Year of birth missing (living people) Living people 20th-century American architects 21st-century American architects American people of Haitian descent Architects from New York City Haitian architects Haitian designers Pratt Institute alumni Pratt Institute faculty