British-Ghanaian architect David Adjaye, winner of the RIBA gold medal
British-Ghanaian architect David Adjaye, winner of the 2021 Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Gold Medal, here in 2017 © Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images via AFP
Text by: Siegfried Forster Follow |
Sarah Tisseyre
4 min
David Adjaye is the recipient of the Gold Medal of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) for 2021. British-Ghanaian, he is the first black architect to receive this distinction since the establishment of the institution in 1834, in London.
It is one of the highest distinctions in the world of architecture.
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To David Adjaye, we owe in particular the National Museum of Afro-American History and Culture, inaugurated four years ago in Washington, quite a symbol.
The
Royal Institute of British Architects
Gold
Medal is awarded in recognition of a lifetime's work, presented to an individual or group of individuals who have had a significant influence "
directly or indirectly on the advancement of 'architecture
'.
Adjaye thus joins the pantheon of gold medal winners such as Frank Lloyd Wright (1941), Kenzō Tange (1965), Rem Koolhaas (2004) or Zaha Hadid (2016).
Among his influences is African art
When announcing the new winner this week, the Royal Institute congratulated Adjaye's exceptional work and underlined his many influences: “
contemporary art, music and science to the forms of African art and urban life
”.
From the start of his professional career, he distinguished himself by alternating practice with teaching at prestigious architectural schools in the United Kingdom and the United States.
He has notably been a professor at Harvard, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Princeton universities.
Among his most famous achievements: the Idea Store library in London (2005), the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo (2005), the Museum of Contemporary Art in Denver (2008), a management school in Moscow (2010) , the Aïshti Foundation in Beirut (2015), but also the Alara Concept Store in Lagos (2016) and an art center in San Antonio, Texas (2019).
Not to mention his latest projects under construction including a skyscraper in Manhattan and the Ghana National Cathedral in the heart of Accra.
With his varied, rich and contrasting style, he has won projects all over the world for 25 years.
His architectural firm, Adjaye Associates, has offices in London, New York and Accra.
"Create beauty"
Until today, he lives on horseback on several continents, as always since childhood.
David Adjaye, 54, was born in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, to Ghanaian parents, then followed his diplomatic father to Egypt, Yemen, Lebanon, and to the UK.
This is where David Adjaye landed as a teenager and was able to study at the Royal College of Art before taking the plunge.
“Sir” David Adjaye should we say, since the Queen of England knighted him three years ago for “
services rendered to architecture
”.
After the announcement of the Royal Gold Medal in 2021, he said: “
Architecture, for me, has always been about creating beauty with buildings for all people of the world equally, and to contribute to the evolution of this art.
The social impact of this discipline has been and will continue to be the guiding force guiding my practices and experiences in this field.
"
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