Benjamin Aranda is a teacher, practitioner, and researcher of experimental design and architecture. He was recently named the inaugural IDC Foundation Distinguished Professor at The Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture at The Cooper Union, in recognition of his commitment to advancing interdisciplinary learning across the schools of Art, Architecture, and Engineering. At Cooper Union, he has taught undergraduate and graduate design studios as well as interdisciplinary seminars.

Since 2018, Benjamin has co-taught Generative Algorithms and Machine Learning for Art and Architecture—nicknamed “GenML”—alongside electrical engineering professor Sam Keene, the John and Mary Manuck Distinguished Professor of Design. The course explores the intersections of computation, creativity, and cross-disciplinary collaboration.

Benjamin is also a principal at Aranda\Lasch, an architecture and design studio based in New York and Tucson. Their wide-ranging work—from generative software to physical architecture—reflects a critical engagement with making in an age of algorithmic tools, invoking long-standing histories and cultural traditions. Their work is part of the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Art Institute of Chicago, among others, and has been exhibited internationally across a range of institutions and galleries. Recognition includes the United States Artists Award, the Architectural League’s Emerging Voices Award, the Miller Prize, and support from the Graham Foundation.