Omar Khan

Omar Khan is a Professor and Head of the School of Architecture at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), effective August 2020. Previously, he served as Chair of the Department of Architecture at the University at Buffalo (UB), State University of New York, where he led initiatives in design-build education, industry collaborations, and facility improvements. His academic career is marked by interdisciplinary research at the intersection of architecture, digital technology, and art.

Education: Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell University; Master in Design and Computation from MIT, with affiliation to the MIT Media Lab’s Aesthetics and Computation Group.

Research focuses on responsive architecture, pervasive computing, and robotic manufacturing. He co-directed UB’s Center for Architecture and Situated Technologies (CAST), exploring cybernetics and AI applications in architecture, and co-led the SMART Community of Excellence, collaborating with industry on robotic manufacturing solutions. Notable projects include the Architectural Ceramic Assemblies Workshop (ACAW) with Boston Valley Terra Cotta and exhibitions at venues like the National Building Museum and Incheon Digital Art Festival.

Teaching roles at CMU include leading the 2025 Carnival Entryway Pavilion project through courses 48-516/48-616 and 48-517/48-617. He co-leads Liminal Projects (architectural research) and Gekh (design consultancy).

• Awards: NYFA Fellowship, NYSCA grants, U.S. Department of Education grants
• Key Collaborations: Boston Valley Terra Cotta, MIT Media Lab, SMART Community