Sir David Adjaye OBE, architectural visionary, lead architect for the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre and founder of Adjaye Associates, will be in conversation with Alice Rawsthorn, award-winning design critic and author.
A graduate of the London South Bank University and the Royal College of Art (where he was later a lecturer), Adjaye received international acclaim for his contribution to the field. He founded Adjaye Associates in 2000, operating globally with studios in Accra, London, and New York. He was selected as the lead architect for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture, opened in 2016.
The Ghanaian-British architect was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2017 and has won the 2021 RIBA Royal Gold Medal, one of the highest honours in British architecture. Adjaye was the inaugural recipient of the TIME100 Impact Awards and was included in TIME’S 100 Most Influential People List. He was also conferred the 27th Annual Crystal Award by the World Economic Forum, recognising his “leadership in serving communities, cities and the environment.”
Alice Rawsthorn has authored many critically acclaimed books including Design as an Attitude, Hello World: Where Design Meets Life and, most recently, Design Emergency: Building a Better Future. She is the co-founder of Design Emergency, a research platform that investigates design’s role in forging a fairer future. Born in Manchester and based in London, her work champions the potential of design to be a social, political, and ecological tool. Alice is also a founding member of the Writers for Liberty campaign for human rights and chairs the board of trustees of Chisenhale Gallery.
Adjaye and Alice will be discussing their passion to build a brighter tomorrow while narrating stories from their respective careers.
