Several Institutions Have Severed Ties with David Adjaye Over Sexual Assault Allegations

David Adjaye, who is one of the most acclaimed museum architects in the world and littered with awards, has been accused of sexual assault by three women. The allegations were reported by the British newspaper The Financial Times beginning of July. According to the newspaper, Adjaye has denied the accusations and called them “untrue”.

The architect was currently working on buildings for the Studio Museum in Harlem, the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art in Delhi, the Princeton University Art Museum in New Jersey, the Museum of West African Art in Benin City, and the Africa Institute in Sharjah. Studio Musem in Harlem and the Africa Institute in Sharjah already announced the end of their relations with the architect.

Adjaye retired from several other assignments, including his work on the Holocaust Memorial in the United Kingdom, his formal association with the African Futures Institute, and as a trustee of the Serpentine Galleries.

Born in Tanzania to Ghanaian parents, Adjaye’s influences range from contemporary art, music and science to African art forms and the civic life of cities. In 2000, he founded Adjaye Associates, which today operates globally, with studios in Accra, London and New York and projects spanning across the globe.

Known for his ingenious use of materials and his sculptural ability, David Adjaye has established himself as an architect with an artist’s sensibility and vision. His projects range from private houses, bespoke furniture collections, product design, exhibitions and temporary pavilions to major arts centres, civic buildings, and master plans. Adjaye’s most well-known project to date, the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC opened on the National Mall in Washington DC in 2016 and was named Cultural Event of the Year by The New York Times. In 2017, Adjaye was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II and was recognised as one of the 100 most influential people of the year by TIME Magazine.