Reppin Africa: Ghanian architect David Adjaye - Shows Furniture Collection & Talks Architects in Africa

Ghanian architect David Adjaye shows us that there are opportunities for African architects in Africa and abroad. He recently has unveiled his first furniture collection, designed for American retailer Knoll, which includes two cantilevered side chairs and a limited edition coffee table.

 In an interview at the new Knoll New York showroom in midtown Manhattan, Adjaye introduces the collection, which includes Washington Skeleton™, an aluminum side chair; Washington Skin™, a nylon side chair; and Washington Corona™, a limited-edition bronze coffee table.

David Adjaye won the design competition for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture museum back in 2009 and construction began in February 2012.

Adjaye recently designed an observatory and education centre with spiralling stone walls to be built on an island in the English Channel, and a silk-weaving facility in India.

At Design Indaba earlier this year, David Adjaye told www.dezeen.com about his relationship with Africa and why he believes the continent provides a great opportunity for architects. See more stories about David Adjaye.

Adjaye believes that, despite the continent's considerable problems, Africa presents a great opportunity for architects. "GDP growth over the last decade is anything between 10 and 15 percent, which is extraordinary. It's greater than what China was doing," he explains. "This economic drive is changing the political paradigm because as people are becoming more wealthy they are starting to question politically their structure.

"What's amazing is that, unlike working in Europe or America at the moment, [as an architect] in Africa you can try to ascribe a new paradigm. If you get the right political agency and the right construction environment, you can make extraordinary moments in architecture. That for me is very exciting."

KUDOS for Reppin Africa David Adjaye!

Source: www.dezeen.com