Famed Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye has been accused of misconduct by three former employees, according to a report in the FinancialTimes. The allegations include sexual harassment, sexual assault and an abusive culture at his company.
Adjaye, who is 57, has won worldwide acclaim for his architectural designs, which include several major cultural institutions like the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, Washington, and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Denver.
Other commissions not yet completed include the new National Cathedral of Ghana in AccraTHE Edo West African Art Museum in Benin City, and the next United Kingdom Holocaust Memorialthe latter of which has now been suspended in light of the allegations.
Artnet News has contacted the highly anticipated museum planned in Benin City for comment, but has not heard back at the time of publication.
Since the news broke yesterday, July 4, Adjaye has resigned from a number of positions and guardianships, including as architectural adviser to the Mayor of London, according to the New York Times. He also resigned as a trustee of the Serpentine Galleries in London. Artnet News has contacted Adjaye Associates for further comment, but has not heard back at the time of publication.
The three women have not been identified but, according to the FinancialTimes, they are all black women who were single mothers in their 40s when the incidents took place. They had each known Adjaye before joining his company and were already well established in their professional networks. The report highlights that their experiences at Adjaye Associates had long-term impacts on their mental health, career and financial stability.
Two of the women, referred to as “Maya” and “Gene”, joined Adjaye’s company in 2018 to help establish a new office in Accra, for which they moved to Ghana with their children. They rarely received their salaries on time and endured long waits for their work visas, forcing them to find themselves in a precarious position. Adjaye admitted to having “cash flow problems” and “an initial lack of structure and process” in the early days of office.
View of the main entrance and courtyard garden of the Edo Museum of West African Art (EMOWAA) in Benin City, Nigeria. © Adjaye Associates.
In September 2018, the couple met Adjaye for dinner and toured his apartment, where they alleged he quickly maneuvered them into his bedroom and made persistent sexual passes, despite clear protests from Gene, who left. the room and waited outside. Maya, who stayed, said she was under the influence of alcohol and her memories are hazy, but felt “overwhelmed, both emotionally and physically”. The next day, Adjaye gave him 4,000 Ghana cedi ($350) in cash without explanation.
A year later, in 2019, Maya said she was sexually assaulted again after being pressured to enter a disabled toilet at a Johannesburg airport. Adjaye denies making the alleged sexual advances or payments.
Shortly after, Maya said she tried to report the alleged incident to Adjaye’s London office, the Ghanaian police and Adjaye himself. In January 2020, she was abruptly fired and apparently received a cease and desist letter from Adjaye’s lawyers. A subsequent attempt to contact Adjaye with a demand for financial compensation resulted in a second cease and desist letter accusing him of extortion.
National Museum of African American History and Culture designed by David Adjaye, Washington, DC Photo © Nic Lehoux.
The third woman, nicknamed “Dunia”, said she was sexually assaulted in 2019 after meeting Adjaye for dinner to discuss business ideas. “He told me to be a good girl and shut up,” she said. Wanting to prove her professional worth, she began working for him as a communications and marketing specialist until March 2020. This period was said to be marked by behavioral control, emotional and sexual abuse. Dunia constantly felt undermined, in some cases because of her race. She remembers being afraid to cross paths with Adjaye because of his considerable power and influence. Adjaye admitted to having an ongoing sexual relationship with Dunia but dismissed allegations that it was abusive or coerced.
Several other former Adjaye Associates employees also reported a toxic work culture, feeling “very taken advantage of” and described the company as a “personality cult”.
“I absolutely reject any allegations of sexual misconduct, abuse or foul play,” Adjaye told the FinancialTimes. “These allegations are false, distressing to me and my family, and go against everything I stand for.”
“I’m ashamed to say that I’ve formed relationships that, while entirely consensual, have blurred the lines between my professional and personal life. I am deeply sorry. To restore trust and accountability, I will immediately seek professional help to learn from these mistakes to ensure they never happen again.
The accounts of the three women were corroborated by the FinancialTimeswho reviewed written evidence, including email exchanges, bank statements, and interviewed colleagues, family and friends.
In addition to his major architectural projects, Adjaye is also known for his sculptural works, including works featured at the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale and the Counterpublic Triennial in Saint-Louis.
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