David Adjaye: Star architect accused of sexual misconduct

Famed British-Ghanaian architect David Adjaye has been accused of sexual misconduct, according to a report by the Financial Times published on July 4. 

Accused by three women, all former employees, Adjaye has stepped back from a number of roles, while denying the allegations.

Adjaye was slated to help create a new Holocaust Memorial and Learning Center in the United Kingdom, and was a design advocate for the City of London. He has stepped down from both roles.

His commission to design a new national cathedral in Accra, Ghana has also now been called into question, as well as a museum of West African art in Benin City, Nigeria. The latter, known as the Edo Museum of West African Art, was set to house some of the Benin Bronzes that Germany returned to Nigeria in 2021.

'Unchecked for years'

The three women who have accused Adjaye were all employees of his firm. The claims were wide-ranging, encompassing "different forms of exploitation — from alleged sexual assault and sexual harassment by him to a toxic work culture," according to their statement. The three women were not named.

The accusers have said the incidents, which allegedly took place in 2018 and 2019, have "gone unchecked for years." One incident allegedly took place in an airport bathroom in Johannesburg.

"I absolutely reject any claims of sexual misconduct, abuse or criminal wrongdoing," Adjaye told DW in a statement. "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," he added. "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."

Uncertainty over home for Benin Bronzes

In addition to his roles with the British Holocaust memorial, Adjaye was previously honored with a knighthood and a gold medal by the Royal Institute of British Architects.

He also designed the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.,  which former President Barack Obama referred to as: "Genius, pure and simple."

Adjaye's design for a museum to house the Benin Bronzes is particularly important in German political circles. Many of the historical items, despite having been officially handed over to Nigeria in 2021, are still housed in Berlin, on loan from Nigeria until the completion of the museum.

Edited by: Elizabeth Grenier