CONTACT
carolyn.kirschner@hotmail.com

BIOGRAPHY
Carolyn is a designer and researcher with a background in architecture. Her work explores the growing entanglements of humans, ecologies, and machines — using design as an investigative tool to materialise fragments from alternate or expanded worlds. Carolyn currently holds teaching positions as Lecturer in Design at Goldsmiths, University of London, and as Adjunct Professor at Parsons School of Design in New York.

She was the recipient of a Postdoctoral Sawyer Seminar Fellowship at The New School, supported by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation (2018-19); has been a fellow of the Designed Realities Studio, an interdisciplinary research and teaching platform led by Dunne & Raby (2018-20); and held residencies at ZKM Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe (2022), A/D/O in Brooklyn (2019-20), and soon at Kilpisjärvi Biological Station as part of Ars Bioarctica (2025).

Carolyn’s work has been published and exhibited internationally. She completed her Master of Architecture at the Royal College of Art in London.

QUALIFICATIONS

2015 - 2017

Royal College of Art (UK) / MA Architecture. 

2011 - 2014

University of Nottingham (UK) / BArch Architecture

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2021 - now

Lecturer in Design / Goldsmiths, University of London (UK).

2022 - 2023

Speculative Design Mentor / Vinnova, Swedish National Innovation Agency (SE).

2019 - 2023

Adjunct Professor / Parsons School of Design (USA).

2020 - 2021

Associate Lecturer in Design / Goldsmiths, University of London (UK).

2017 - 2018

Architectural Assistant (Part II) / Atomik Architecture (UK).

2016

Architectural Assistant (Part I) / DSDHA (UK).

2014 - 2015

Architectural Assistant (Part I) / Henning Larsen Architects (DE).

2010 - 2011

Architectural Designer  / Lederer Ragnarsdóttir Oei (DE).

RESIDENCIES & FELLOWSHIPS

2025

Kilpisjärvi Biological Station (FI) / Ars Bioarctica Residency.

2022 - 2023

City Science Lab, HafenCity University Hamburg (DE) / Climate City meets Creative Coding. 

2022

ZKM Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe (DE) / ‘Beyond Matter’ Residency. 

2019 - 2020

A/D/O (USA) / ‘At the Border’ Residency.    

2018 - 2020

The New School (USA) / Designed Realities Studio Fellowship. 

2018 - 2019

The New School (USA) / Zolberg Institute on Migration and Mobility / Postdoctoral Sawyer Seminar Fellowship. 

EXHIBITIONS

2025

Museum of Modern Art Medellin (CO) / ‘Matter, Non-Matter, Anti-Matter’. 

2024

Milan Design Week (IT) / DOPO? Space / ‘Sit, Feast on Your Life’. 

2023

JUPITER, Hamburg (DE) / City Climate meets Creative Coding Festival. 

2022 - 2023

ZKM Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe (DE) / ‘Matter, Non-Matter, Anti-Matter’.  

2022

FRAC Centre (FR) / ‘Paysages du Design’ (collaboration with Dunne & Raby). 

2021

COP26 / ‘CreateCOP26’ (virtual exhibition).

2021

10th International Congress of Arctic Social Sciences, ICASS X / ‘Arctic Makes: Mastering the Remoteness’ (virtual exhibition). 

2020

A/D/O (USA) / ‘Data Creatures’. 

2020

Centre Pompidou (FR) / ‘Neurons, Simulated Intelligences’ (collaboration with Dunne & Raby).  

2019

Kunstmuseen Krefeld (DE) / ‘Alternatives for Living’ (collaboration with Dunne & Raby). 

2018

RIBA Royal Institute of British Architects (UK) / ‘10x10 Drawing the City’. 

2017

The Workshop (UK) / ‘Show 2017’. 

TALKS & CONFERENCES

2024

Conference / Birkbeck, University of London (UK) / London Centre for Interdisciplinary Research / ‘Myths, Archetypes and Symbols: Models and Alternatives’.

2024

Conference / University of Palermo (IT) / ‘Narratives and the Social Sciences: Interdisciplinary Perspectives’.

2023

Artist Talk / Centre Pompidou (FR) / Moviment Festival.

2022

Artist Talk / ZKM Centre for Art and Media Karlsruhe (DE).

2022

Conference / The New Institute (DE) / ‘Eco-Scenarios’.

2022

Guest Lecture / MA Design: Expanded Practice, Goldsmiths, University of London (UK).  

2021

Conference / Oslo Metropolitain University (NO) / ‘FeLt 4th Renewable Futures Conference’.

2021

Symposium / Tomsk State University (RU) / ‘Relate North 2021: Everyday Extremes’. 

2020

Conference / ICASS X (RU) / 10th International Congress of Arctic Social Sciences. 

2020 

Talk / New Inc, The New Museum (USA) / Creative Science Track.

2020 

Guest Lecture / Parsons School of Design (USA) / School of Art, Media & Technology.

2020

Colloquium / NYU (USA) / Integrated Digital Media Colloquium. 

2019

Artist Talk / A/D/O (USA).

2019

Conference / Cornell University (USA) / EGSO Conference on Proximity. 

2019 

Guest Lecture / Parsons School of Design (USA) / School of Design Strategies. 

2019

Panel Discussion / Culture Hub (USA) / Artists Navigating Digital Borders. 

2018

Guest Lecture / NSSR New School for Social Research (USA) / School of Politics.

2018

Conference / The New School (USA) / Critical Edge Alliance.

2017

Panel Discussion / Innovate UK, Digital Catapult (UK) / ‘Immersive Technologies in Architecture and Design’. 

2022

Talk / Royal College of Art (UK).

2022

Conference / Cornell University (USA) / ‘Imaginaries of the Future: Utopia After the Human’. 

AWARDS

2023

Prize Money / City Science Lab Hamburg & German Federal Cultural Foundation (DE).

2022

Research & Enterprise Funding / Goldsmiths, University of London (UK).

2019

Production Grant / Andrew W. Mellon Foundation (USA).

2018

Commended for Eye Line Competition (UK).

2017

Dissertation Distinction / Royal College of Art (UK).

2016

Nominated for the West London RIBA Student Award (UK).

2015

Winning Project / Across RCA / Helen Hamlyn Research Centre & Satellite Applications Catapult (UK).

GUEST CRITIC

2024

Chalmers University of Technology (SE).

2019 - 2021

Royal College of Art (UK).

2019

Columbia University (USA).

2018 - 2020

Parsons School of Design (USA).

 ©2024 Carolyn Kirschner. All rights reserved.