At Design Indaba Conference 2013, Adjaye highlighted the importance of architecture responding to various environments. He gave insight into the fundamental principles of his practice Adjaye Associates. He spoke about how geography, culture, and place intrinsically link in what he believes to be architecture that makes people feel good about who they are and where they are in the world.

Believing that geography plays a fundamental role in architecture, Adjaye spent 11 years in Africa documenting the continent’s architecture in order to get a sense of what the continent needs today. As geography, culture and place are inextricably linked, he proposed to move away from political architecture towards a geographical one showcasing how geography and place binds inhabitants.