Bridges was born in the East Los Angeles, California neighborhood of Boyle Heights to a mother who was a postal worker and a father who worked various jobs. He met his mentor, architect Paul Williams, while a student at Adams Junior High School. Bridges earned his high school diploma from Dorsey High School in 1950 where he was a member of the track team.[2]
Bridges founded the firm, Leon Bridges, AIA in Seattle in 1963, partnering with Edward Burke to become Bridges/Burke in 1966, before moving the firm in 1972 to Baltimore.[3]
He was principal at The Leon Bridges Company, and Sheladia/Bridges. Among his many firsts, in 1970 he became the first registered African American architect in Maryland.[4]
Bridges was the first elected Black Director of a regional AIA Board, was elected vice president of the National American Institute of Architects (AIA)[5] and in 1976 and 1984 he was nominated as a Fellow of the College of Fellows, AIA. He also co-founded the AIA/Ford Minority Scholarship fund, which has provided college scholarships for many needy students. Bridges is also a former president and a member of the counsel of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA).[6] After semi-retiring in 2005, he became an assistant professor at Morgan State University School of Architecture and Planning.[7]
Some of his projects have included the restoration of Baltimore Penn Station and Baltimore City College High School.[8]
In 1998, Bridges received the AIA Whitney Young Award for his “unselfish service to the betterment of the profession, to the health of the community and to the encouragement for future architects.” [9]
