Neri Oxman

Neri Oxman
Name	Neri Oxman
Birth date	6 February 1976
Birth place	Haifa, Israel
Nationality	Israeli, American
Alma mater	Architectural Association School of Architecture, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Known for	Material ecology, Bio-architecture, Digital fabrication
Occupation	Professor, Designer, Architect
Employer	MIT Media Lab
Spouse	Osvaldo Golijov (m. 2011; div. 2019), Bill Ackman (m. 2023)

Neri Oxman is an Israeli-American professor, designer, and architect known for pioneering the field of material ecology. She is a former tenured professor at the MIT Media Lab, where she founded and directed the Mediated Matter Group. Her transdisciplinary work, situated at the nexus of computational design, digital fabrication, materials science, and synthetic biology, seeks to transform how we design and construct objects, buildings, and systems by emulating patterns found in nature.

Early life and education

Born in Haifa, she completed mandatory service in the Israel Defense Forces. Oxman initially pursued pre-medical studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem before shifting her academic focus. She earned a diploma from the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London and later received both a Bachelor of Architecture and a Master of Architectural Studies from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. She completed her doctoral degree in design computation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where her dissertation laid the groundwork for her interdisciplinary approach.

Career and research

Oxman joined the faculty of the MIT Media Lab in 2010, establishing the Mediated Matter Group as a research collective. Her work there fundamentally challenges the separation between design, biology, and engineering, advocating for a holistic approach she terms material ecology. This philosophy posits that materials, structures, and environments can be computationally grown, printed, and engineered as integrated systems. Her research has been published in leading journals like *Science* and exhibited at prestigious institutions including the Museum of Modern Art and the Smithsonian Institution.

Material ecology

The core tenet of material ecology is the application of biological principles to the design process, creating a synergy between the natural and built environments. This involves using advanced algorithms to generate forms inspired by biological growth and employing technologies like 3D printing with novel, often bio-based, materials. Key concepts include variable property design, where a single fabricated object can have graded material properties, and the integration of living organisms into the fabrication process itself, blurring the lines between manufacturing and cultivation.

Notable projects and works

Oxman's portfolio includes groundbreaking installations and prototypes. *Wanderers: An Astrobiological Exploration* is a series of wearable vessels designed to sustain life in extraterrestrial environments. *Silk Pavilion* utilized a robotic arm to create a structure that was subsequently completed by live silkworms. *Gemini* is a chaise lounge fabricated as a single, seamless piece using 3D printing. Her *Vespers* series, a collection of death masks exploring themes of life and decay, is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

Awards and recognition

She has received numerous accolades, including a Radcliffe Fellowship from Harvard University and being named a *Cultural Leader* at the World Economic Forum. Oxman was honored with a *40 Under 40* award from *Fast Company* and the *Innovation by Design Award* from the same publication. Her work has earned grants from institutions like the National Science Foundation and has been recognized with the *Emerging Voice* award from the Architectural League of New York.

Personal life

She was previously married to composer Osvaldo Golijov; the couple has one daughter. In 2023, she married billionaire investor Bill Ackman. Her life and career have been profiled in major media outlets such as *The New York Times*, *The Guardian*, and *Wired*.

Category:Israeli architects Category:MIT Media Lab people Category:American designers