Robert Goldsmith

Interior Design, 2024

The summer of 2023 was the hottest in recorded human history. Over the past 40 years, insect populations have declined by 45%. The journal, Environmental Science and Technology published a study concluding that rainwater is no longer safe for human consumption, globally. There is a severe insufficiency in how we as a species view and interact with the environment. We do not exist in a vacuum and it is essential that we, as a society at large have a deep understanding of our relationship and reliance on preexisting ecological systems.

Franklinton is a fantastic example of a failure to understand our relationship to these systems. Constructed on a floodplain in 1797 the neighborhood has been inundated by regular floods not fully understood until the 20th century. Today, the construction of levees, dams, and floodwalls has alleviated the impact these systems have on humans, helping to stabilize the lives of thousands of individuals.

As a side effect, the native habitats of the plants and animals that were there before have been destroyed. Franklinton Urban Ecology center aims to educate on the importance of natural systems reflecting on the past and looking into a brighter future.

Robert Goldsmith is a fourth-year interior design student at the Ohio State University and will graduate in May with a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design. Robert strives to create equitable spaces that have a positive impact on peoples lives. He has interests in adaptive reuse, healthy urbanism, and ecodesign!

You can find more of his work at https://robertgoldsmith.framer.website/