David Adjaye. Making Public Buildings

A detailed monograph on one of the most sought-after architects of his generation, which analyses his built and planned public buildings through hundreds of colour illustrations

David Adjaye is one of Britain’s leading contemporary architects, and particularly well known for his domestic projects. Adjaye combines the sensual and emotive with a conceptual approach to the fundamental elements of architecture. His influences range from African art and architecture to contemporary art and music leading to numerous collaborations with artists, including Olafur Eliasson and Chris Ofili.

Making Public Buildings focuses for the first time on Adjaye’s engagement with civic space and the built environment. It brings together a distinguished group of authors to reflect on Adjaye’s practice, significance and influences. Okwui Enwezor and Saskia Sassen discuss the increasing need for a politicized definition of public space, while Nikolaus Hirsch and Peter Allison consider Adjaye’s attention to materials. Two interviews with David Adjaye, one led by Peter Allison and the other by Kodwo Eshun, guide us through his approach to making public buildings within a global context. They are accompanied by drawings, documents and photographs relating to ten of Adjaye’s most important projects.

Table of Contents

The ten projects are: Idea Store, Chrisp Street, London, opened July 2004; Nobel Peace Center, Oslo, opened June 2005; Idea Store, Whitechapel, London, opened September 2005; Art Pavilions with TBA-21, Venice Biennale, June–November 2005; Stephen Lawrence Centre, Deptford, on site 2005; Bernie Grant Centre, Tottenham, on site 2005; Rivington Place, Shoreditch, on site 2005; Museum of Contemporary Art, Denver, on site 2005; Market Hall in Wakefield, on site 2006; Fairfield Housing, Hackney, on site 2006.