The renowned Sir David Adjaye has been named the 2021 recipient of the Royal Gold Medal. The prestigious honor is awarded by RIBA and approved personally by The Queen to recognize a person or group who has "has a significant influence either directly or indirectly on the advancement of architecture."
"It’s incredibly humbling and a great honor to have my peers recognize the work I have developed with my team and its contribution to the field over the past 25 years," said Adjaye in a statement upon hearing the news that he would be receiving the honor this year. "Architecture, for me, has always been about the creation of beauty to edify all peoples around the world equally and to contribute to the evolution of the craft. The social impact of this discipline has been and will continue to be the guiding force in the experimentation that informs my practice. A heartfelt and sincere moment of gratitude and thanks to all the people who supported the journey to get to this moment."
Over the past two and half decades, Adjaye achieved world recognition for his growing body of work. The architect has expressed his influences amongst the contemporary arts, music and science, African art forms, and the civic life of cities.
Adjaye's work covers a wide span of typologies including private homes, exhibitions, furniture design, major cultural buildings, and city masterplans. He has also served on the faculty of schools of architecture in the UK and USA at universities such as Harvard, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Princeton.
David founded his practice, Adjaye Associates, in 2000 and currently has studios in Accra, London, and New York, with projects across the globe. Adjaye Associates most well-known project is the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC (2016).
Other completed projects include Ruby City, an art centre in San Antonio, Texas (2019); the Alara Concept Store in Lagos (2016); the Sugar Hill Mixed Use Development (housing, museum, community facilities and offices) in Harlem, New York (2015); the Aishti Foundation, a mixed use retail and arts centre in Beirut, Lebanon (2015); the Moscow School of Management Skolkovo in Russia (2010); the Nobel Peace Centre in Oslo, Norway (2005); Rivington Place arts centre in Hackney, London (2007); and the Idea Stores – two community libraries in London (2004, 2005).
"It was my absolute pleasure and honor to chair the committee and be involved in selecting Sir David Adjaye as the 2021 Royal Gold Medallist," said RIBA President Alan Jones in a statement. "David’s contribution to architecture and design globally is already astounding, and I am excited that we have so much more of it to look forward to."
13 Comments
Congratulations to you Sir David Adjaye, keep on shjnjng the light on the architectural development.
From Monne,
Maseru,Lesotho.
One of the few big name architects bringing craft back as a value, instead of the Rem babies and friends focus on making large scale vacuum cleaners. Well done.
Well deserved! For anyone wanting to see a very young Adjaye (and others) talk about architecture, here is BBC's Dreamspaces https://vimeo.com/user7277523
Randomised thank you and too highlight how cool this dude is/was -
“Quantity sure doesn’t mean quality. This is not a classical palace. Its just a large lump using ornament to try to make itself look grand. Its proportions are simplistic, and ends up looking like a kitsch wedding cake. Ask a small child to draw a palace with crayons and it looks something like this.” - young Sir David Adjaye
To the tune Clubbed to Death (Kurayamino Variation) · Rob Dougan (you will know it from The Matrix movie)
The remainder of video is great with regard to Bucharest modern and art-deco architecture as commented on by David.
Ask a child to draw a dumb building and it looks something like this.
yes sir, when a kid meets the order, it all goes to shit.Sugar Hill - No less. Sure, the dude David learned about beauracracy and that resulted right? This is no country for old men. Come out of the wood works like Justavisual, when needed...
It's Sir David, and you set him up!
or...Sugar Hill needs to look cake? and the people palace is good classical architecture? actually I thought Thayer you we're modernist, just a visual was a classists...confused now.
Don't be confused, I'm an eclectic, or pan/fluid stylistic as the kids might say. I agree that the building behind him is a cream puff, just thought it was funny how he said the guy drew like a little kid. At least he doesn't live in a glass house, just one with a metal screen around it.
well that looks like a 3 layer cake! maybe we found the early inspiration, but he DOES NOT sketch like a kid, that's the sketch quality you need for good communication with clients.
I know. His work isn't my thing but I wish him well.
There’s a difference between asking a kid to draw something and to draw as simple as a kid would, I guess...
That NMAAH sketch is phenomenal. Perfect distillation of the concept.
hey Thayer-D I set you up. get it?
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.