This fall was supposed to be a triumphant moment for Sir David Adjaye: three major museums bearing his architectural signature were set to open across the U.S. and Europe. Instead, the acclaimed British-Ghanaian architect finds himself conspicuously absent from the spotlight—his name quietly scrubbed from press materials, opening events, and even donor walls.
From Starchitect to Silent Partner
Once hailed as one of the most visionary designers of his generation—best known for the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.—Adjaye is now facing professional exile following a series of sexual misconduct allegations that surfaced in 2023. Though he has denied the claims and no criminal charges have been filed, the cultural institutions he once collaborated with are moving swiftly to distance themselves.
“We are grateful for the early design contributions,” reads a carefully worded statement from one museum, “but the final execution was led by our in-house team and local partners.”
Three Museums, One Unspoken Legacy
The three institutions opening this season include:
- The Rubin Museum Expansion (New York) – Originally branded as “Adjaye’s reinterpretation of Himalayan spirituality,” now described as a “collaborative evolution.”
- The Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (Brooklyn) – Once slated to feature Adjaye in its launch campaign; his firm’s role is now listed only in fine print.
- The Helsinki African Art Pavilion (Finland) – Local officials confirmed Adjaye’s conceptual input but emphasized “significant redesigns post-2023.”
Timeline of a Starchitect’s Silence
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 2021 | Adjaye awarded commission for three major museums |
| 2023 | Multiple women accuse Adjaye of sexual misconduct; he steps back from projects |
| 2024 | His firm rebrands as “Adjaye Associates (Legacy Projects)” amid leadership reshuffle |
| 2025 | Museums open—without naming him as lead architect |
Architecture Without Attribution?
The situation raises thorny questions about legacy, accountability, and authorship in creative fields. Can a building be “de-Adjaye’d” if its form, materials, and spatial logic bear his unmistakable imprint?
“You can remove his name,” said architecture critic Mira Sen, “but you can’t unbuild his vision. The ethical dilemma is whether institutions benefit from his genius while pretending he never existed.”
[INTERNAL_LINK:Ethics in Architecture] scholars note this isn’t the first time a fallen creator’s work has been quietly absorbed—think of composer Richard Wagner or filmmaker Roman Polanski—but architecture’s public, permanent nature makes erasure far more complicated.
What Happens Next?
Adjaye has remained largely out of public view since 2023. His London-based firm continues to manage existing projects under new leadership, but no new commissions have been announced. Meanwhile, the museums opening this fall walk a tightrope—celebrating bold new spaces while avoiding association with their controversial creator.
For now, the buildings speak—but the man behind them has been edited out of the story.
Sources
The New York Times: “A Star Architect’s Buildings Soar. He’s Nowhere to Be Seen.”
