Adjaye was described by the order bestowing the honor as "one of the leading architects of his generation and a global cultural ambassador for the UK".
"I see this not as a personal celebration, but as a celebration of the vast potential—and responsibility—for architecture to effect positive social change," said Adjaye.
The €30m project to build a contemporary art museum attempts to fill a blank spot on the national cultural landscape.
It's being financed by private rather than state money with the major contributions from the ABLV Charitable Foundation (linked to ABLV Bank) and the Boris and Ināra Teterev Foundation, which regularly gives grants to arts projects.
The museum will be located in a former railway works, a short walk away from the Art Nouveau quarter in central Rīga. The organizers hope to have it open to the public on November 18, 2021.
Listen to LSM's interview with the architect HERE.