A look at three projects from Ghanaian-British architect David Adjaye’s portfolio that embrace artistry, diversity, and innovation.
Jean-Michel Basquiat: King Pleasure
New York
Jean-Michel Basquiat: King Pleasure showcases more than 200 rarely or never-before-seen works, including paintings, drawings, and ephemera across 12,000 square feet of the Starrett-Lehigh Building in New York’s arty Chelsea corridor—located next door to Marcus Samuelsson’s newest restaurant Hav & Mar. Curated by Basquiat’s sisters and designed by David Adjaye of Adjaye Associates, the exhibit seeks to immerse viewers into the artist’s life. Displayed chronologically, visitors get a glimpse into Basquiat’s process as they are invited to view pages from the artist’s sketchbooks, early drawings, and personal notes.
Adjaye also designed the exhibit to mimic the streetscape with wood paneling used to reflect Basquiat’s bond to the city. Indeed, the neighborhood stroll takes visitors through meticulous reanimations of Basquiat’s childhood townhouse and his Great Jones Street art studio—recreating even the smallest details ranging from the spices in the kitchen to scattered VHS tapes. King Pleasure also resuscitates the Michael Todd VIP Room at the legendary Palladium nightclub where Basquiat’s murals served as a backdrop to the revelry. The exhibition closes January 1st, 2023.
The Studio Museum
Harlem, New York
To fashion a new home for the Studio Museum—an institution dedicated to promoting the works of artists of African descent and work inspired by Black culture—in Harlem, Adjaye Associates took cues from the robust architectural character of the culturally rich Manhattan neighborhood. First opened in 1968 in a rented loft on 125th Street, the museum is now located in a century-old building on the same street. For the newest iteration by Adjaye, a five-story building will replace its current home and extend the museum to an adjacent lot.
The forthcoming structure also aims to elevate the museum typology through its urban location, embodied in an expansive open façade of irregular blocks. Reminiscent of a Harlem brownstone, a reverse stoop accessed beyond a pair of glass doors will invite guests to descend toward the museum, surrounded by a public forum and exhibition area to further bond the museum with the area. The cultural legacy of masonry architecture in Harlem serves as a key muse for the design, which will also pay homage to Harlem churches with cathedral-like interiors that include a top-lit core. A central stairway will create a range of interior views from its many landings, while a rooftop terrace will crown the new structure.
The Africa Institute
Sharjah, UAE
The first-of-its kind space in the Arab world, the Africa Institute was founded in 1976 as part of the Symposium on African and Arab Relations. Dedicated to the advanced study, research, and documentation of Africa and the African diaspora, the Institute was housed in the Africa Hall, a building that will now be incorporated into the new campus designed by Adjaye Associates.
Continuing its legacy of promoting education, the multifunctional campus will welcome an inaugural class of master’s and Ph.D students in the field of African and African diaspora studies, as well as support conferences, art exhibitions, performances, and more. The boundary-pushing design will integrate the structure into downtown Sharjah, thanks in part to the red-hued concrete chosen to enhance the desert typology. The four wings, meanwhile, will be connected by open-air courtyards punctuated by large overhangs, which produce shade and relief from the heat, and water features and plants that help improve circulation and natural cooling. Fashioned as a support network for critical thinkers and a springboard for inspiration, the state-of-the-art campus is slated to open in 2023.
This article originally appeared in HD’s November 2022 issue.
