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Acclaimed architect David Adjaye tops Britain’s PowerList 2013
Highly acclaimed architect.,David Adjaye. PHOTO/File
David Adjaye, the architect chosen to design Washington DC’s US$500 million National Museum of African American History and Culture, has topped a list of Britain’s most influential black people, ahead of double Olympic gold medalist Mo Farah and The Wire star Idris Elba.
In the sixth edition of the annual PowerList, the top 100 people regarded as role models in their fields, the Tanzanian-born founder of Adjaye Associates is hailed as an inspirational figure who saw off financial crisis during the recession to become one of Britain’s most high-profile architects.
At No 2 is Pat McGrath, a make-up artist from Northampton who has worked with designers including Prada and Armani. Farah is third and at No 5 is Damon Buffini, the former chairman of the private equity firm Permira. Also in the top 10 are John Sentamu, the outspoken archbishop of York, and Chuka Umunna, the telegenic Labour MP and shadow business secretary.
(More: Profile: David Adjaye – the “Starchitect”)
Adjaye, is expected to attend a reception at Downing Street on Thursday to mark Britain’s Black History Month.
Writing in the PowerList, David Cameron said: “We should never underestimate the power of role models. When teenagers see high achievers who look like them, who have reached the top in law, business, politics, they’re going to think: ‘I can do that; I can go far too.'”
