Three women with whom Sir David Adjaye (architect of the National Cathedral of Ghana) previously worked have accused him of sexual misconduct.
Adjaye acknowledged having had encounters in the past with the women, but he insisted to reporters that they were consensual.
The story was covered by the Investigations department of The Financial Times magazine in a lengthy article headlined, “Sir David Adjaye: the celebrated architect accused of sexual misconduct.” The three women who were accusing Adjaye of sexual assault and harassment throughout their time with him were the main focus of the narrative.
A lawyer for Adjaye said that the three women each had “their own grievances” against Adjaye, the report added.
In response to questions about allegations made by the three women, 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.”
He added: “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.”
The three women say their dealings with Adjaye have disrupted their careers, left them in precarious financial circumstances and caused them serious mental distress.
The women, who requested their names be changed, share common characteristics. They were all black women in their forties at the time the alleged abuse occurred, and are single mothers, well-connected professionally and from influential families.
All three women knew Adjaye before their employment and had friends and acquaintances in common with him.
David Adjaye is a Ghanaian-British architect. He is known for having designed many notable buildings around the world, including the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. Adjaye was knighted in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to architecture. He is the recipient of the 2021 Royal Gold Medal, making him the first African recipient and one of the youngest recipients. He was appointed to the Order of Merit in 2022.
Adjaye was born in Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam. He was raised in Tanzania, Egypt, Yemen, and Lebanon as the son of a Ghanaian diplomat before relocating to Britain when he was nine years old. He won the RIBA Bronze Medal for the best student design project in the UK after earning a BA in architecture from London South Bank University in 1990. He completed his master’s degree at the Royal College of Art in 1993.
