The British architect David Adjaye was a known face among superstars, a designer of homes for artists and celebrities like Alexander McQueen, Jake Chapman and Ewan McGregor among others.
When the financial crisis hit David was on the brink of bankruptcy in early 2009. But then just two months after he reached an agreement with his creditors, an extraordinary offer. David Adjaye was approached to create a $500 million (£384.4 million) building on the National Mall in Washington DC, to be neighbours with the Washington Monument.
The building was no ordinary building to house office spaces. Rather it was to be a centre for history, a National Museum of African American History and Culture. President Obama promised it would stand beside “the monuments to those who gave birth to this nation”, offering America hard truths about the horrors of slavery and recognising the “central role that African-Americans have played in the life of our country.”
The museum was opened recently to great fanfare and even though it's free, has been booked until December. “This about the particular story of the African-American community in America, and doing some kind of healing through this acknowledgement”, David said.
With a historical tie that stretches centuries between the UK and the Indian subcontinent, the question remains, will Britain ever see a museum for Asians? Couldn't that possibility be even closer with an Asian mayor leading London?
