Profile
Caroline Dionne is a scholar and educator with a background in art and architecture criticism and curation. She is Assistant Professor of History and Theory of Design Practice and Curatorial Studies and Interim Associate School Dean at Parsons' School of Art and Design History and Theory (ADHT). Sitting at the intersection of literature, language theory, philosophy, architecture and curatorial practices, her research and teaching examine the role of language in everyday acts of placemaking and collective design, with focus on the politics of place—how power dynamics of gender, class, and race shape subjectivities. Trained as an architect, she received her PhD in the history and theory of architecture from McGill University, Montreal. Her book, Design Theory, Language and Architectural Space in Lewis Carroll (Routledge, 2023) proposes design theories of the emergent based on a close reading of the complete works of nineteenth century writer and mathematician Lewis Carroll. Other publications can be found in Designing in Dark Times: An Arendtian Lexicon (Bloomsbury, 2020), Reading Architecture: Literary Imagination and Architectural Experience (Routledge, 2018), OASE 96 Social Poetics: The Architecture of Use and Appropriation (NAI, 2016), and Architecture's Appeal (Routledge, 2015). She is Managing Editor for Design and Culture, the Journal of the Design Studies Forum.
Degrees Held
PhD in Architecure, History and Theory, McGill University, 2005
MA History and Theory of Architecture, McGill University, 2000
BFA Architecture, Universite Laval, 1996
Professional Affiliation
Member of SAUTE - Swiss Association of University Teachers in English
Recent Publications
Book
Dionne, Caroline. Design Theory, Language and Architectural Space in Lewis Carroll (Routledge, 2023)
Peer-reviewed Journal Articles
Dionne, Caroline. “A leap of faith in the realm of the possible.” OASE 96, Social poetics: the architecture of use and appropriation (2016): 73-78.
Dionne, Caroline. “Lewis Carroll on Architectural Meaning.” Montreal Architectural Review 01 (2014): 31-46.
Chapters in Books (peer-reviewed)
Dionne, Caroline. “We Build Spaces with Words: Spatial Agency, Recognition and Narrative.” In Reading Architecture; Literary Imagination and Architectural Experience, edited by Angeliki Sioli and Yoonchun Jung. London: Routledge, 2018.
Dionne, Caroline. “Made in Usage: Architecture in Furetière’s Dictionnaire Universel.” In Architecture’s Appeal, edited by Marc J. Neveu and Negin Djavaherian, 67-78. London: Routledge, 2015.
Dionne, Caroline. “Architectural Creativity in Lewis Carroll’s The Vision of the Three T’s.” In Architecture and Authorship, 30-39. London: Black Dog Publishing, 2007.
Dionne, Caroline. “Lewis Carroll: A Man Out Of Joint, The Anonymous Architect of Euclid’s Retreat.” In Chora: Intervals in the Philosophy of Architecture, Vol. 4, edited by Alberto Pérez-Gómez and Stephen Parcell, 1-24. Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2004.
Chapters in Books
Dionne, Caroline. “Speech.” Designing in Dark Times: An Arendtian Lexicon. Eduardo Staszowski and Virginia Tassinari (eds.), London: Bloomsbury, 2020.
Dionne, Caroline. “An Architecture of Social Engagement.” In L-Architects, ed. by Heinz Wirz, Luzern: Quart Verlag, 2019.
Dionne, Caroline. “Fenêtre sur l’espace introspectif / Introspective Space: Enter Here! Caroline Dionne in discussion with Jonas Dahlberg.” In Jonas Dahlberg: Hall of Mirrors, 36-43. Lausanne: Archizoom, 2013.
Dionne, Caroline. “La question du programme: expérience et fiction.” Postface of Mondes visibles/Villes archipel, 242-247. Lausanne: ALICE EPFL, 2012.
Book Reviews
Dionne, Caroline. Review of The Design Philosophy Reader. Edited by Anne-Marie Willis, Bloomsbury Visual Arts, 2018, Journal of Design history (forthcoming).
Edited monograph
Dionne, Caroline and Denise Bratton, ed. The architecture of Richter & Dahl Rocha. Berlin: Birkhäuser, 2007.
Books in Progress
Dionne, Caroline. Running Out of Place: The Language and Architecture of Lewis Carroll (manuscript in preparation).
Dionne, Caroline. People and Places: Swiss Love Stories (manuscript in preparation).
Other Publications – Selected
Dionne, Caroline and Sreshta Rit Premnath. “Giving Voice.” In Playing The Auditorium: Kabir Carter, published in the context of The Festival of New, The New School, 2019.
Dionne, Caroline, and Patrick Bouchain. “Pratique de l’utopie: des brèches pour l’action.” Special issue published in the context of the exhibition “Théâtres en utopie” at Lieu Unique, Nantes, Tracés 140 (2014): 4-8.
Dionne, Caroline. “Des récits qui instruisent: la fable comme source d’un savoir architectural.” Re-vue Malaquais, Ecole nationale supérieure d’architecture Paris-Malaquais 01 (2014): 22-27.
Dionne, Caroline. “La ville assiégée.” Previoulsy published in Tracés 138, no. 02 (2012): 5. Special issue in the context of the Paris-Chaillot exhibition “Architecture en uniforme,” Tracés 140 (2014): 3.
Cohen, Jean-Louis, Guy Ansellem, Caroline Dionne and Christophe Catsaros. “Une architecture de la défense passive, Entretien avec Jean-Louis Cohen et Guy Amsellem.” Special issue, Tracés 140 (2014): 4-5.
Dionne, Caroline. “Angle mort de l’architecture moderne.” Previoulsy published in Tracés 138, no. 02 (2012):16. Special issue, Tracés 140 (2014): 6-11.
Dionne, Caroline. “L’architecture incrémentaliste au service du savoir-vivre.” Special issue published in the context of the exhibition Lucien et Simone Kroll, une architecture habitée, Lieu Unique, Nantes, Tracés 139 (2013): 4-7.
Dionne, Caroline. “Chez Le Corbusier.” Heimatschutz / Patrimoine 3 (2012): 30-31.
Dionne, Caroline, Hahne, Antoine, Cochard, Julien. “Une architecture qui façonne paille et terre crue.” Tracés 138, no. 02 (2012): 6-11.
Dionne, Caroline. “La ville assiégée.” Tracés 138, no. 02 (2012): 5.
Cohen, Jean-Louis, Mirko Zardini and Caroline Dionne. “Une architecture de la défense passive.” Tracés 138, no. 02 (2012): 6-9.
Dionne, Caroline. “Angle mort de l’architecture moderne.” Tracés 138, no. 02 (2012):16.
Dionne, Caroline. “Culture - Réceptifs à la ville.” Special issue “Geneve bouge”. Hochparterre 11 (2011): 28-31.
Dionne, Caroline. “Moving Around.” Published alongside Alexandre David’s “Moving Around” exhibition. YYZ Blog, January 2011, http://www.yyzartistsoutlet.org/2011/01/moving-around-by-caroline-dionne/.
Dionne, Caroline. “La bibliothèque du Tribunal fédéral fait peau neuve.” Heimatschutz/Patrimoine, no 3 (2011): 8-19.
Dionne, Caroline. “Projeter ensemble : utopie ou réalité ?” PNR 54 - Développement durable de l’environnement construit 01 (2009): 30-31.
Dionne, Caroline. & Van der Poel Cedric. “Espace TILT.” In Tumbleweed, 7. Lausanne: ALICE EPFL, 2010.
Dionne, Caroline. “Machine de verre.” Tracés 136, no. 01 (2010): 7-10.
Dionne, Caroline. “Haut lieu d’hospitalité.” Tracés 135, no. 22 (2009): 7-10.
Dionne, Caroline. “Valider les savoirs ancestraux.” Tracés 135, no. 18 (2009): 33-34.
Bouchain, Patrick, and Caroline Dionne. “Mobile et immobile, Entretien avec Patrick Bouchain.” Tracés 135, no. 13-14 (2009): 10-13.
Motta, Liliana, and Caroline Dionne. “L’art de la découverte, Entretien avec Liliana Motta.” Tracés 135, no. 13-14 (2009): 6-9.
Dionne, Caroline. “La vie rêvée des nouveaux urbanistes.” Tracés 135, no. 02 (2009): 5.
Dionne, Caroline. “Le culte de la ville parfaite.” Tracés 135, no. 02 (2009): 6-9.
Dionne, Caroline. “Du bon et du mauvais architecte.” Tracés 134, no. 13-14 (2008): 6-9.
Dionne, Caroline. “Densifier la banlieue.” Tracés 134, no. 07 (2008): 5.
Dionne, Caroline. “Bien vivre ensemble.” Tracés 134, no. 07 (2008): 7-14.
Dionne, Caroline. “Lausanne miniature.” Tracés 133, no. 21 (2007): 27-32.
Dionne, Caroline. “Envoûtements bananiers.” Tracés 133, no. 20 (2007): 19-20.
Dionne, Caroline. “Espaces pour la petite enfance, jeux et symptômes.” Tracés 133, no. 18 (2007): 23-30.
Dionne, Caroline. “Adopt a Myth.” In Pelletier, Louise and Alberto Pérez-Gómez, ed. 70 Architects. Montreal: Centre de Design de l’Université du Québec à Montreal, 2007.
Dionne, Caroline. “Le dehors de l’architecture : sur quelques installations de Samuel Roi-Bois.” Spirale 210 (2006): 49-50.
Dionne, Caroline. “Deux vues d’ensemble.” In Alexandre David, 2-3. Montreal: Galerie B-312 2005.
Dionne, Caroline. “Fine Fine Dust.” In D’Or: Explorations in Psychic Geography, 9-16. Vancouver: Or Gallery, 2003.
Dionne, Caroline. “Le monologue/The Monologue.” In Samuel Roy-Bois exhibition, i-vi. Montreal: Gallery Articule, 2003.
Dionne, Caroline. “Gregor Schneider: des mouvances limitrophes.” ETC Montréal : revue de l’art actuel 63 (2003): 28-34.
Dionne, Caroline. “On Words and Paradoxes: Lewis Carroll at the Interstices of Architectural Discourse.” In Progress Report 2002, Ph.D. dissertations in architectural history and theory, 10-13. Montreal: McGill University School of Architecture, 2002.
Dionne, Caroline. “What are you looking at: Lewis Carroll’s photographs and the paradoxes of perception.” Public 21(2001): 78-86.