Dr. Behnaz Farahi

Assistant Professor

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Biography

Behnaz Farahi is an award-winning designer and critical maker working at the intersection of fashion, architecture, and interactive design. Currently, she serves as an Assistant Professor at the MIT Media Lab, where she directs the Critical Matter research group and is the inaugural Morningside Academy Design (MAD) Professor. Farahi's training as an architect informs her focus on fostering empathetic relationships between the human body and its surrounding environment, incorporating emerging technologies and the morphological and behavioral principles found in natural systems. Her projects tackle critical issues related to feminism, emotion, bodily perception, and social interaction. With expertise in computational design, interactive technologies, additive manufacturing, and digital fabrication, she has received numerous accolades including the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum Digital Design Award and the World Technology Award. Farahi has co-edited significant publications such as 'Interactive Design: Responsive Environment' (2023) and '3D Printed Body Architecture' (2017), with her work featured in prestigious collections and international exhibitions, including those at Ars Electronica and the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.

Research Interests

Experience

Assistant Professor

— Present

MIT Media Lab • Cambridge, MA

Directing Critical Matter research group, focusing on the intersection of design and technology.

Awards

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Digital Design Award

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Innovation Design Award

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World Technology Award