Short Film on Architect Robert Madison

I stumbled across the story of gentleman and architect Robert Madison a little while ago now and I’ve been waiting for a rainy day to bring it into our archive for us all to consume and learn from. Today is that day so I guess I shall begin by explaining that Robert is an influential Mentor, Patron of Arts and Pioneering Architect who was presented with the Cleveland Arts Prize as a Special Citation for Distinguished Service to his industry.

Of course as a fellow creative mind I have the upmost respect for the work that Robert has constructed throughout his career, however it’s the grit and determination embedded within his personality that I found most inspiring in this short film. You see, Robert was cutting his teeth in an age where African American Architects didn’t exist in America, he was in fact the first African American to be registered in his field within the state of Ohio.

In spite of all the resistance Robert came up against culturally at the time, he strived to craft a career he was immensely passionate about. For me the real icons in life are the ones that live to fulfil their dreams regardless of the adversity laying in their path, so in my eyes Robert is a bit of a legend in this sense. It’s quite humbling to come across stories like this, and I think it’s a reminder to all of us that the only way we can truly move forward in this world is if we give each other equal opportunity to succeed.

www.rpmadison.com

BECOME A PART OF OUR DESIGN JOURNEY

Special discounts on OEN Shops curated collection

• Exclusive behind-the-scenes content
• Early access to content from our OEN publication
• Deep dive into design concepts
• Curated guides to the worlds top art and design cities