David Adjaye, the Visionary Architect

David-Adjaye

David Adjaye was born in Dar es Salaam in Tanzania on 22 September 1966. His Ghanaian parents, the son of a Ghanaian diplomat, lived in Tanzania, Egypt, Yemen and Lebanon before moving to Great Britain at the age of nine. He’s a British naturalized Ghanaian architect. In 1990 he graduated in Architecture from London South Bank University.

Architecture by David Adjaye

In 1993 he obtained his Master’s degree from the Royal College of Art. After a short period working with the architectural firms David Chipperfield (London) and Eduardo Souto de Moura (Porto), Adjaye established his own studio with William Russell in London in 1994. In 2000, the Adiaye-Russell studio dissolved and Adjaye founded its own studio. Adjaye’s travels as a child allowed him to develop a high degree of cultural sensitivity and was stimulated by a variety of architectural styles, which accompanied him, later, in his approach to design.

Architecture by David AdjayeAdjaye has a democratic approach to architecture, and sees design as a social tool for aggregation and stimulation of the emergence of new communities. His approach to design seeks to be sensitive to the cultural context of different peoples. Having African origins, he feels the importance of showing the good values of the African peoples, rich in history, culture and architectural wisdom. For him, architecture is a powerful tool for social, material and conceptual transformation. This approach, which mainly involves his historical roots, has transformed him into a “socially responsible” architect.

David Adjaye, visionary architect

The ingenious use of materials and light, together with the democratic approach, have contributed to his notoriety in the world of international architecture. Adjaye’s interest in the nature of contemporary space is a balanced synthesis of various factors, such as luxury and functionality, economy and emotional needs. He believes that it is necessary to abandon the mentality of constraints to volume and line, to arrive at ideas of the relationship of human beings with nature and space, new formats and emotions.

Architecture by David AdjayeAdjaye has developed a constant dialogue with the art world, dealing with artists and intellectuals, giving life not only to buildings, but also to exhibitions and research projects, where sculpture, painting, civic culture and many other forms of expression could not be left out, thus bringing to synthesis its origins and the context of its formation. In his works it is perceived how his life experiences make him sensitive to the problems of place and cultural and social identity.

David-Adjaye

Recent architectural projects: the Skolkovo School of Management in Moscow, the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo, Norway, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Denver, USA, the post-hurricane homes in New Orleans, the Ideas Store buildings in London. Recent artistic collaborations: the installations for the video section of the 8th International Biennial of Santa Fe The Dissolve (2010), the luminous installation Your black horizon by Olafur Eliasson at the 51st Venice Biennial (2005), the project The Upper Room by Chris Ofili (2010).

by Antonio Lo Re