Nicholas de Monchaux

Nicholas de Monchaux is a Professor and Head of the Department of Architecture at MIT. Previously, he was Professor of Architecture and Urban Design, and Craigslist Distinguished Chair in New Media at UC Berkeley, where he directed the Berkeley Center for New Media. His work bridges architecture, urbanism, and digital media, focusing on the interplay between design, data, and urban systems.

His research and publications include Spacesuit: Fashioning Apollo (MIT Press, 2011), which examines the design history of Apollo spacesuits, and Local Code: 3,659 Proposals about Data, Design, and the Nature of Cities (2016). His design projects have been exhibited globally at venues like the Venice Architecture Biennale and SFMOMA, emphasizing speculative and data-driven urban interventions.

• Awards: Eugene Emme Award (2011), Art Book Prize shortlist (2011), American Academy in Rome Fellowship
• Grants/Residencies: MacDowell Colony, Santa Fe Institute, Hellman Fund, Bakar Fellows Program

He leads initiatives such as the Local Code Lab and modem, exploring computational and participatory approaches to urbanism. His work integrates historical analysis, speculative design, and emerging technologies to address contemporary urban challenges.