The G. Holmes Perkins Teaching Awards are presented annually, based on the input of students at PennDesign, to recognize distinguished teaching and innovation in the classroom, seminar or studio. These awards were named in honor of the architect and longtime faculty member who served as dean of the School 1951-1971 and were presented at the school’s awards ceremony by Frederick Steiner, dean of the School of Design and Paley Professor.

G. Holmes Perkins Distinguished Teaching Award for Standing Faculty

 Sharon Hayes, associate professor of fine arts, is this year’s recipient. She is an artist whose work engages multiple media, including video, performance and installation, in an ongoing investigation into specific intersections between history, politics and speech. Ms. Hayes has had solo exhibitions at Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York; Tanya Leighton Gallery, Berlin; Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; and Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid. Her work was included in the 2013 Venice Biennale, as well as exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art, New York; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; and numerous museums and venues in Europe and the Americas. Ms. Hayes is a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship (2014), the Alpert Award in Visual Arts (2013), an Anonymous Was a Woman Award (2013), and a Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation Fellowship (2007) among other awards. She earned master of fine arts from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a bachelor of the arts from Bowdoin College. Ms. Hayes also attended the Whitney Museum of American Art Independent Study Program. Ms. Hayes teaches both graduate and undergraduate studio courses, including video and performance, as well as interdisciplinary courses such as Across Forms: Art & Writing.

One student said, “Sharon Hayes is a brilliant artist and a deeply committed and thoughtful teacher. Her syllabus is incredibly inclusive and opens up the field of performance and conceptual art while remaining deeply rigorous. She takes her students work very seriously and gives attention and feedback so generously. What an honor to get to study with her!” Another student said, “Sharon has continually gone above and beyond as an educator. The amount of time and work she puts into her classes, studio visits, one-on-one meetings and critiques is endlessly inspiring (not even accounting for how much labor goes into her own artistic practice). She is simultaneously thoughtful, critical, generous, supportive, kind and challenging. I’ve continually witnessed her take more and more onto her plate, without sacrificing us as students.”

G. Holmes Perkins Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award

 Eric Bellin, lecturer and PhD candidate in architecture, is this year’s recipient of the award for underegraduate teaching. This award rotates each year between architecture and fine arts.

Eric Bellin’s research deals primarily with 19th through 20th century histories and theories of architectural detailing in France, Britain and America. Other research interests include: histories of construction, architectural technology, post-war ‘humanism’ in architecture, and design education. He earned a master of science in architectural pedagogy and a master of architecture from the University of Florida, where he also earned a bachelor of design. He teaches both graduate and undergraduate architecture courses, including a recent graduate research studio entitled Drifting Symmetries: Towards a new botanic infrastructure.

A student said, “Eric’s mentoring in the architecture studio so far has been transformative to how I approach the discipline. His emphasis on rigor and process combined with an eye for the individual style and strength of each student and their goals has been inspiring for me. I feel challenged every day in studio but deeply motivated to work my hardest for every meeting —each crit with him feels like an opportunity for real personal growth. I can’t overstate my satisfaction with how he pushes us to get the most out of our studios.” Another student said, “Eric has consistently pushed me to create the best work. He was always available outside of class time and by email. He even went so far as to send me resources and inspiration on his own time and volition.”

G. Holmes Perkins Distinguished Teaching Award, Non-Standing Faculty

 Ben Krone, a lecturer in architecture, is this year’s recipient. He is the founder of Gradient, a design studio whose work focuses on procedural approaches to manipulating surface systems and bridging the gap between architecture, product design and graphic art. His past achievements include an installation for the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum, collaborations with several acclaimed artists and multiple award-winning residential and commercial projects. Currently Gradient is working on a number of larger projects including boutique hotel in Brooklyn and a large residential tower in Jersey City. Mr. Krone earned his bachelor of architecture from the University of Florida. He received his master’s degree from Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, where he was the recipient of the McKim Prize for Excellence in design and the Sol Kaplan Traveling Fellowship. He teaches graduate studio courses, including recent design studios entitled Co/Habitation and Perpetual Motion. He also teaches in the Integrated Product Design program at Penn.

A student said, “Ben was invested in each individual project and encouraged and pushed each student to go above and beyond in each project. Through him, we learned the strength of a potent design concept and how this gets translated into a building’s form and use. This skill and the methodology of Ben’s approach is something that will be remembered and carried throughout my design career.” Another student said, “Excellent architecture professor, probably one of the best professors I’ve ever had. Very encouraging, insightful and involved in making sure each student succeeds.”