The 2024-2025 school year welcomes Mr. Marc Robinson back to the architecture studio. Having worked in the woodshop as Mr. Maher’s replacement for his furniture design classes, Mr. Robinson said that he “felt an immediate connection to the school’s culture, the fantastic art department, and the students’ energy.”
Having moved from Brooklyn in 2022, Mr. Robinson, his wife, and their two boys (ages 12 and 10), enjoy the natural beauty of Hopewell Valley and the freedom it gives them to hike, bike, and fish. “When the opportunity to teach architecture at PDS came up, I saw this as an amazing chance to expand my teaching and art practice,” Mr. Robinson shared. Mr. Robinson has worked at many different schools. He was a professor at FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology, with graduates like Calvin Klein and Michael Kors), Parsons School of Design (where designer Tom Ford graduated from) and The Cooper Union (with notable alumni including Bob Kane, the creator of Batman). He has also taught younger students interested in public sculpture.
When talking about teaching, Mr. Robinson expressed, “My goal as a teacher is to create an environment where students feel comfortable exploring, making mistakes, and experimenting.” Mr. Robinson chooses a hands-on learning experience for his students, often including projects that require the students to “engage with materials and ideas.” Mr. Robinson opts for this style of teaching because he values each student’s needs and goals, working individually with each student. “Ultimately, my goal is for them to have [the] confidence to take creative risks and tackle challenging questions.” In the end, Mr. Robinson cares about each one of his students and hopes they learn not only about architecture in his class, but also to have the tools to be comfortable when facing challenges, both in and out of the studio. He teaches in an open-minded, two-way style. He described, “It’s a collaborative process where I learn as much from my students as they learn from me. Their questions, perspectives, and problem-solving approaches constantly remind me to stay curious and flexible.”
Additionally, Mr. Robinson spends his time working on architecture projects and teaching students the glory of it. He stated, “Architecture shapes the way we live and interact with the world and builds skills like collaboration and design thinking.”
With his engaging hands-on teaching style, there’s no question he’ll fit right in here at PDS. If you pass him in the hall, I encourage you to say hello, or, in his words, “If you’re interested or curious, come on in!”
