Inside the Creative World of Leyden Lewis
This Black History Month, we’re honored to spotlight Leyden Lewis, a visionary designer, artist, and founding member of BADG (Black Artists + Designers Guild), whose creative ethos deeply resonates with Trueform Concrete’s own commitment to form, intention, and storytelling.
We first partnered with Leyden in the creation of the Wabele fireplace surround collection, a sculptural centerpiece inspired by West African symbolism and Art Deco style. In his words, “Wabele is about honoring a lineage. It’s a space for reflection, but also resilience.”
Prospect Park Residence, photography: Michel Arnaud
100 UN Plaza Residence, photogrpahy: Pratya Jakong
Creole Aesthetics & Cultural Filtering
Leyden doesn’t describe his work in terms of “style”, a term he finds limiting, but rather as a “Creole” approach: a cultural synthesis shaped by his training at Parsons, global architectural references, and a deep connection to African and African American traditions.
“I’m constantly filtering, from Zaha Hadid to Benin architecture to the Pantheon in Rome,” he says. “Then I condense, remix, and tell a new story, a hybrid Creole of all my experiences.” That sensibility was on full display in Salon Analog, his showhouse space for Kips Bay, where Black artists like Nari Ward and Isaac Julien became “friends in the room”, artworks that not only adorned the space but embodied its spirit.
A Path Rooted in Art and Architecture
Leyden’s creative path began early. Right after high school, Leyden enrolled at Parsons, earning a degree in environmental design and architecture, drawn by a more scholarly and spatially dynamic understanding of design. In the 1990s, the program was experimental, challenging students to think of the body itself as architecture, a concept that continues to influence his tactile, spatially rich work.
His father, Lionel Lewis, a classically trained painter, also left a profound imprint. “He taught me to be spiritually attuned, to meditate, to breathe, to stay in your body,” Leyden recalls. This early encouragement to be present, sensitive, and exploratory shaped not only his artistry but also his sense of purpose. One of Lionel’s own pieces even appeared above the fireplace Aspire Magazine's Art of the Home showroom, a quiet tribute to the creative lineage that informs Leyden’s work.
BADG & Building Collective Power
As a founding member of the Black Artists + Designers Guild (BADG), Leyden has helped build a platform that uplifts Black creatives across disciplines. “There was a huge gap in representation, on panels, in publications, in the industry at large,” he says. “BADG became a place to connect, share pain points, celebrate wins, and build a collective voice.”
Among its proudest achievements is Obsidian House, a 25,000-square-foot virtual showhouse designed during the pandemic to center Black joy. Leyden co-designed the architectural shell and helped curate a space that was as expansive in imagination as it was in scale.
Staying in the Game
For Leyden, just continuing to “stay on the playing field” is a powerful form of resistance and representation. “Existence itself can be a statement,” he says. “I’m showing that I’m equal, that I’m here, and that my story matters.”
At Trueform Concrete, we believe materials can hold memory and that thoughtful design can reshape what’s possible. Leyden Lewis does exactly that: he designs with soul, builds with intention, and tells stories that endure.