Prominent Ghanaian-British Architect David Adjaye Accused Of Sexual Assault By 3 Women

The Liverpool International Slavery Museum has cut ties with the architecture firm run by Ghanaian-British architect David Adjaye following accusations of sexual assault and harassment from three women.

The BBC reports that earlier this year, Adjaye admitted to entering into consensual relationships that blurred the lines between his personal and professional lives. The museum will, however, continue to use Adjaye’s designs.

The museum issued a statement confirming reports that it had stopped collaborating with Adjaye.

“We would like to thank the AA team who have worked hard to bring the International Slavery Museum and Maritime Museum transformation project, to a developed design stage. We remain committed to the project as we continue to build on the momentum already established and intend to start an accelerated tender procurement for new architects in the coming weeks,” the statement read.

Adjaye’s lawyers say that the women are making the claims in order to extract money from the architect. Their accounts include instances of Adjaye forcibly kissing them, with some of saying the incidents escalated to “controlling sexual encounters.” According to the claims, one instance of forcible kissing occurred in an apartment, another in a bathroom at a South African airport. Another woman says Adjaye forcibly kissed her at the Royal Academy after it had closed.

“I absolutely reject any claims of sexual misconduct, abuse, or criminal wrongdoing,” Adjaye told the BBC in a prepared 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.”

Adjaye also claimed that he would be seeking professional help immediately to learn from his mistakes, vowing never to repeat them again.

Representatives for both the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (Adjaye was working on its Holocaust memorial) and the Liverpool International Slavery Museum didn’t respond directly to the Adjaye’s accusations, but an official for the former said Adjaye’s firm would not participate in the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation project until the allegations had been addressed.

According to the BBC, Adjaye, 56, was awarded British architecture’s highest accolade, the Royal Institute of British Architects’ gold medal in 2021 and was knighted in 2017.