Time Magazine's World's Most Influential Architect: Tanzanian-Born Ghanaian-British Architect David Adjaye

(image via www.adjaye.com)

Time Magazine has released its much anticipated annual list of The 100 Most Influential People and Ghanaian-British architect, Sir David Adjaye has made the list. He is the principal architect of Adjaye Associates which has offices in New York and London and have projects all over the world.

The Time’s 100 Most Influential list is broken down into five categories namely: Icons, Titans, Leaders, Pioneers and Artists. Unlike other architects who have made an appearance on the list in the artist category before, Adjaye has been featured in the Icons list where he has been listed alongside RuPaul, John Lewis and Cindy Sherman.

(image via www,npr.org)

Sir David Adjaye will also be knighted in 2017 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for his services to architecture.

According to his biography on his firm’s site, Sir Adjaye was born in Tanzania to Ghanaian parents. His work has always been influenced by his deep African roots.

Sir Adjaye’s Work and Timeline:

·         In 1994, he set up his first office.

·         In 2000 he reformed his studio to Adjaye Associates.

·         He designed the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo which was completed in 2005.

·         He was awarded an OBE in 2007.

·         The Wall Street Journal awarded him the Innovator Award in 2013.

·         In 2014, the firm was part of the Alara concept store project in Lagos.

·         The firm designed the new headquarters building for the International Finance Corporation in Dakar.

       The National African American Museum designed by David Adjaye
(image via www.latimesblog.latimes.com)

·         In 2016, he was awarded the highest accolade bestowed upon a person who demonstrates consistent excellence within their industry, The Panerai London Design Medal awarded by the London Design Festival.

·         His firm has also won the competition to design Latvia’s Fire Museum of Contemporary Art.

·         Adjaye Associates have also been announced as the master plan architects for the San Francisco Shipyard Redevelopment.

·         The firm has also been shortlisted to design the UK’s National Holocaust Memorial.

·         Adjaye also believes in collaboration and has collaborated with British painter Chris Ofili (of Nigerian descent) in a few iconic projects.

·         Adjaye studied and taught at the Royal College of Art.

·         He has also taught at the Architectural Association School in London.

·         He has held professorship at some of the most prestigious universities namely: Pennsylvania, Yale and Princeton.

Luxury Concept Store Alara in Lagos, Nigeria
(image via www.livingspaces.net)

Adjaye’s ten-year study of Africa’s capital cities was shown in Urban Africa, at the Design Museum in London in 2010. It was also published as African Metropolitan Architecture in New York and as Adjaye Africa Architecture.

Adjaye currently has a book out called Constructed Narratives.

(image via www.amazon.com)

*sources: www.adjaye.com ; http://worldarchitecture.org