Adjaye Associates, more than just an architecture studio

An exceptionally rich panel of speakers has been assembled for ARCHITECT@WORK Kortrijk. One of the biggest highlights will undoubtedly be the presentation by Lucy Tilley, CEO of the globally active studio Adjaye Associates, headquartered in London with two large satellite offices in New York and Accra.

We leave it up to you to discover what will be covered in the seminar. Together with Ms Tilley, we take a look at how David Adjaye, who founded Adjaye Associates in 2000, built a global studio with a very specific social agenda, centred on core values such as dignity, inclusivity, unity and lost knowledge/representation of the earth. At the same time, she also explains why Africa as a continent plays such an important role.

First studio in London

Lucy Tilley actively steered the growth of the studio from the driving seat. She graduated as an architect from Southbank University and received her post graduate diploma from the Architectural Association. She had been working with David Adjaye since before the practice was founded (he was also her mentor when she was a university student) and saw it grow from three people to its current 200-strong workforce. Lucy Tilley is CEO of the London studio since 2024 and oversees projects in the United Kingdom, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australasia.

“Perhaps I should first answer the question about the major influence of Africa”, she smiles. “Actually, you only need to glance at David's CV to know the answer. David was born in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, as the son of a Ghanaian diplomat who was stationed there at the time. This was followed by a series of stays in various countries in Africa and the Middle East, before his parents finally settled in London, where he first obtained a B.Arch. at South Bank University and then an M.Arch. at the Royal College of Art. He then joined William Russell in 1994 and struck out on his own in 2000. This story also illustrates why our firm is so cosmopolitan, both in terms of projects and employees, striving for a 50-50 gender balance and if you look at our diversity figures, nobody else at this scale gets close.”

Influence of the various arts

When looking for a single definition of the work of Adjaye Associates, it is striking how the founder seems to be more than just an architect. The influence of various arts, including music, is very noticeable. However, there is one constant: cultural and social engagement is always present. Another recurring theme seems to be that the commissions – with the exception of the early years – often involve large-scale public buildings.

“David is first and foremost an architect, but he transcends this because his designs and those of the firm aspire to be much more than just buildings. The focus is on creating inclusive, dignified and sustainable spaces, with a deep awareness of our shared responsibility for the planet. He has been strongly influenced not only by his international upbringing, but also by personal experiences, including growing up with a disabled brother. These early insights have led him to believe that architecture is a means of promoting dignity and inclusion.”

Lucy Tilley insists that we must realise one thing. Architecture is something that changes our lives; it has to do with humanity and people as users.

“It is always about improving people's lives, including unity in architecture and creating sustainable buildings. It is important that specific consideration is given to the place where something is built. The openness you mentioned earlier is no coincidence, but a real focus. For David, architecture also symbolises an investment in public life and is a celebration of it, whether it concerns social, cultural or religious life. It is one of his strengths, something with which he has built a reputation in the West, between Europe and the United States, around the theme of inclusion.”

Importance of context

What strikes the viewer is how this firm cannot seem to be identified with a single style. The designs are very diverse, with a common thread of always looking closely at the context.

“This undoubtedly has something to do with David's extensive travels, even as a child. In any case, I see someone who has developed into what I would call a ‘planetary being’. Everywhere he lived, he was confronted with a wide variety of architectural styles, which led to a remarkable cultural sensitivity.”

“If you want to describe it, you can't help but talk about social responsibility, which results in very diverse designs. Each design is inspired by the specific parameters of the physical space that will be used and the function that a building is supposed to have in its historical context. Every context is different and every context has a new scenario. This explains why one project results in a dark, stripped-down modernist construction, while another is all about light and space. Examples of the former are two private residences in London, Elektra House and Dirty House, which had to reflect the artists who lived there. At the other end of the spectrum are the Idea Stores, which are almost diametrically opposed. Here, the community must be invited inside.”

Climate change

Climate change is something that no one in the construction world can ignore. This certainly applies to Adjaye, who can be considered one of the pioneers in this field. Many years ago, he defined climate change as ‘the dawn of the Anthropocene’...

“David's Anthropocene represented the era in which the Earth's climate and atmosphere are affected by human activity. He borrowed the term from the Russian imperial geologist and palaeontologist Alexei Pavlov, who first used it a century ago. At Adjaye Associates, we are deeply aware of how much we are once again facing a period of change. We cannot close our eyes to this, not even in architecture, and we are playing a part in a completely different story. We must realise that we need to roll up our sleeves now, waiting is not an option.”

Back to a locally based economy

“In order to change course, we must at the same time be aware that there are still people in the world today who do not have access to all the technology, and that obviously causes problems with the carbon footprint. Globalisation will always exist, but we need to find a way to return to a locally based industry. We would like to see a more democratic mechanisation that can emerge everywhere, in different societies.”

Seminar

During the seminar at ARCHITECT@WORK, Lucy Tilley explains how Adjaye Associates focuses on creating inclusive, dignified and sustainable spaces, with a deep awareness of our shared responsibility for the planet. Using various projects, she will show how these values come to life and how to work towards a sustainable future in her keynote speech entitled ‘An Architecture of Co-existence’. The seminar will take place on Thursday 15 May at 5.30 p.m.

All images © Adjaye Associates

Photo Lucy Tilley © Paul Clarke