David Adjaye has been accused of sexual misconduct by three former female employees. As originally reported in the Financial Times, the accusations range from harassment to physical assault. The women detailed abuse going back years at his firm, Adjaye Associates, which they alleged had fostered a toxic work culture. Adjaye denies these claims.
The London-based firm, which also has offices in New York and Accra, Ghana, is largely known for its cultural projects though has recently completed residential and religious work. After founding the firm in 2000, Adjaye rose to higher prominence following the 2016 opening of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture, which his firm designed. Adjaye was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2017.
The allegations detail grotesque management throughout the firm, including the opening of the firm’s Accra office in 2018, which not only includes sexual assault, but failure to pay employees on time and visa insecurity. Through his lawyer, Adjaye told FT that there were cash flow issues in the early days of the Accra office, which “functioned as a start up.” Employees often described abusive workplace practices for which other architecture firms have come under fire, including onerous working hours and underpayment amid larger disorganization.
The New York Times reported that Adjaye will be stepping down as the architectural advisor to London mayor Sadiq Khan, and that the firm’s work on the London Holocaust Memorial & Learning Centre has been suspended until the claims have been further resolved. FT further reported that Adjaye’s resignation as a trustee of the Serpentine Galleries was effective immediately.
In a statement provided to AN from Kendal Advisory, a communications and crisis management firm, Adjaye said: “I absolutely reject any claims of sexual misconduct, abuse or criminal wrongdoing. These allegations are untrue, distressing for me and my family and run counter to everything I stand for. I am ashamed to say that I entered into relationships which though entirely consensual, blurred the boundaries between my professional and personal lives. I am deeply sorry. To restore trust and accountability, I will be immediately seeking professional help in order to learn from these mistakes to ensure that they never happen again.”
Adjaye Associates did not respond to AN’s request for comment.
