Top architect David Adjaye accused of sexual misconduct

Architect David Adjaye, the head of one of the world’s most prominent architecture firms, has been accused of sexual assault and abuse by three former associates, according to reporting in the Financial Times.

Three unnamed women who formerly worked for Adjaye’s firm, Adjaye Associates, have accused him of sexual assault, sexual harassment, and creating a toxic work environment. Two of the women allege Adjaye made unwanted sexual advances in an apartment after a work-related dinner, pulling one onto his bed. A separate assault is alleged to have taken place in a bathroom at a South African airport. The third woman alleges that Adjaye forced himself on her in an alcove of a London museum, after hours.

In a statement, Adjaye has denied these allegations. “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,” Adjaye said in a statement.

He did admit to engaging in relationships with the women, however. “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,” the statement reads.

Celebrated as a genius by former President Barack Obama and knighted by the Queen of England, Adjaye has gathered global acclaim for his firm’s work designing blockbuster projects including the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, in Washington, D.C., and a Bronx high school built from the bones of a 120-year-old ice factory.

Since the Financial Times report was published earlier this week, the effects of the allegations have been swift. Adjaye has stepped away from several roles and projects, including an appointment as a design adviser to London Mayor Sadiq Khan and the design of the U.K. Holocaust Memorial and Learning Center in London. He will also be stepping down from ceremonial roles and trusteeships, according to the New York Times.

Adjaye is not the first prominent architect to be accused of abusing a position of power in an industry that often hinges on the personality and celebrity of its top practitioners. In 2018, Pritzker Prize-winning architect Richard Meier was accused of sexual harassment by four former employees and one other woman. That report led to the creation of a crowdsourced spreadsheet describing alleged sexual misconduct in architecture, Shitty Architecture Men.

Speaking to Fast Company, the anonymous creator of the spreadsheet said she started the project to help give voice to people in the architecture profession who have felt abused by people in power. “I want people to be able to recognize potentially unlawful behavior for what it is, and to feel less alone,” the spreadsheet’s creator said. “Being harassed can be isolating. Maybe being able to see that they’re not alone will help someone feel empowered to take action.”

The three women who’ve made allegations against Adjaye are remaining anonymous, but the Financial Times has corroborated their accounts through interviews with family and friends, as well as through documents. Adjaye, who denies wrongdoing, has nonetheless announced plans to address the actions behind the allegations. “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,” he said in a statement.