Architect, Interior Designer, Landscape Design

Adjaye Associates

New York City, New York, United States

David Adjaye, founder of Adjaye Associates in 2000, leads a globally renowned architectural practice known for its multicultural team and expansive cultural dialogue. With offices in Accra, London, and New York, Adjaye Associates undertakes projects worldwide, including landmark designs such as the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). Among their diverse portfolio are ongoing and recent works like the Newton Enslaved Burial Ground Memorial in Barbados, district hospitals across Ghana, and the Edo Museum of West African Art in Nigeria. Adjaye was honored with the 2021 RIBA Royal Gold Medal for his significant contributions to international architecture. David Adjaye's approach to design emphasizes understanding clients' needs and crafting spaces that unfold cinematically. His firm aims to enrich daily life and foster societal transformation through architecture, integrating research and historical narratives to create socially and environmentally responsible structures. With a childhood shaped by his father's diplomatic career, spanning cities from Dar es Salaam to Jeddah, Adjaye's early exposure to global cultures deeply influences his work, including extensive studies in African urban architecture and formative experiences in London, Portugal, and Japan. Adjaye's journey through diverse architectural traditions continues to inform his practice, emphasizing place-making, identity, and humanistic values in his designs. His exploration of materials and spatial concepts, from Portugal's artisanal traditions to Japan's architectural philosophies, enriches his approach to creating meaningful and transformative architectural spaces globally.