London Design Festival: Medals for David Adjaye and Kenneth Grange
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British architect and designer David Adjaye has won the 2016 Panerei London Design Medal today. The news comes only days before the opening of his latest project, the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington D.C.Adjaye, who w
London Design Festival: Medals for David Adjaye and Kenneth Grange
British architect and designer David Adjaye has won the 2016 Panerei London Design Medal today. The news comes only days before the opening of his latest project, the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington D.C.Adjaye, who was born in 1966 in Tanzania, was honored in particular for his work on the National Museum of African American History and Culture and his outstanding career over the past two decades, according to the jury, who called him “an inspiration for the younger generation.”Adjaye founded his first studio together with William Russell in 1994, one year after having received his MA in Architecture from the Royal College of Art, and before going solo in 2000. Today, Adjaye Associates holds four international offices and is involved in projects around the globe. The architect has made a name for himself with his interdisciplinary approach, drawing inspiration from contemporary art and music as much as African art forms and traditions or urban culture.“Adjaye Associates believes that architecture presents opportunities for transformation—materially, conceptually and sociologically,” a statement issued today explains. “Driven by the desire to enrich and improve daily life, the practice’s buildings are designed to meet the diverse needs of the communities they serve. Inspiration is drawn from many influences around the world and the work clearly articulates this enthusiasm for issues of place and identity. The emphasis on light, a distinctive material and color palette, the play between positive and negative and the ability to turn constraints into compelling narratives, are critical themes.”Recent projects by Adjaye include the Sugar Hill, an apartment complex with affordable housing units in Harlem, New York; the Moscow School of Management Skolkovo; and the Francis Gregory Library in Fort Davis Park, Washington D.C.The award comes days before the opening of Adjaye’s most ambitious project to date, the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington D.C., which was erected on the last available plot of the storied National Mall, and will be inaugurated on September 24.The Panerei London Design Medal is awarded annually as part of the London Design Festival and considered one of the most prestigious awards in the UK, with former winners including Edward Barber & Jay Osgerby, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, Peter Saville, Ron Arad, Thomas Heatherwick, and Zaha Hadid.Next to Adjaye a number of fellow creators were also honored today, most notably Kenneth Grange who received the Johnson Tiles Lifetime Achievement Medal. The product designer and architect co-founded renowned British design practice Pentagram, which has been responsible for the London Design Festival’s graphic design since 2007 and also created the design for the inaugural London Design Biennale, among many others. Grange was honored for decades of exceptional achievements, from the intercity 125 train to the first UK parking meter. “Kenneth Grange is the Godfather of UK product design, every household in the UK must have a product designed by him,” the jury explained in a statement. “His designs truly are icons that will feature in the history books.”The 2016 Swarovski Emerging Talent Medal went to Bethan Laura Wood; the 2016 Airbnb Design Innovation Medal to Daan Roosegaarde.All four designers will also be honored with an exhibition in Exchange Square at Broadgate, which runs from September 20 through September 25, 2016. Click here for more information. Read more
