Sonia Curnier
Sonia CURNIER, born in 1985 in Lausanne, Switzerland, holds a master's degree in architecture, a minor in territorial development, and a doctorate in architecture and sciences of the city from the école polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL).
Her doctoral dissertation "L'espace public comme objet per se?"
(2018), a critical analysis of the design of public spaces in Europe at the turn of the 21st century, earned her several academic awards. An adapted version of this work has just been published as a book "Universal/Singular. " by Birkhäuser (2023, FR/EN). Sonia is also co-author of "En Mutation: Conceptions urbaines" (Infolio, 2016) and editor of the Landscape Architecture Europe Series.
Between 2019 and 2022, Sonia was a visiting researcher at KTH (Royal Institute of Technology - Stockholm) and then a postdoctoral researcher at SLU (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences - Malmö), where she studied transdisciplinary collaborations in public space design (SNSF Early.postdocmobility). She is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Urban Sociology Laboratory of EPFL. Her research and teaching focuses on the making of public space, criticality, transdisciplinary practices and children and youth in cities.
In parallel to her academic background, Sonia has developed experience in practice, having practiced for several years in a Swiss urban planning office before undertaking her PhD thesis. Since 2015, she has had an independent practice as a consultant, critic and curator, specializing in urban issues, with a focus on public spaces.
Her doctoral dissertation "L'espace public comme objet per se?"
(2018), a critical analysis of the design of public spaces in Europe at the turn of the 21st century, earned her several academic awards. An adapted version of this work has just been published as a book "Universal/Singular. " by Birkhäuser (2023, FR/EN). Sonia is also co-author of "En Mutation: Conceptions urbaines" (Infolio, 2016) and editor of the Landscape Architecture Europe Series.
Between 2019 and 2022, Sonia was a visiting researcher at KTH (Royal Institute of Technology - Stockholm) and then a postdoctoral researcher at SLU (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences - Malmö), where she studied transdisciplinary collaborations in public space design (SNSF Early.postdocmobility). She is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Urban Sociology Laboratory of EPFL. Her research and teaching focuses on the making of public space, criticality, transdisciplinary practices and children and youth in cities.
In parallel to her academic background, Sonia has developed experience in practice, having practiced for several years in a Swiss urban planning office before undertaking her PhD thesis. Since 2015, she has had an independent practice as a consultant, critic and curator, specializing in urban issues, with a focus on public spaces.
Education
Dr. Sc. (PhD)
| Architecture and sciences of the city2013 – 2018 EPFL
Master of Science (Msc)
| Architecture Minor in Territorial Development2008 – 2010 EPFL
Bachelor of Arts (Ba)
| Architecture2004 – 2007 EPFL (KTH Stockholm Erasmus)
Journal Articles
L'école dans tous ses espaces
Les Cahiers - Espace Suisse
2024-05-02
Le Collage comme outil exploratoire collectif dans la conception d’espaces publics
Les Cahiers de la recherche architecturale urbaine et paysagère
2023-06-30
DOI : 10.4000/craup.12736
The Urban Forum Dialogue Tool: Reflecting on a Designerly Apparoach to Transdisciplinary Research
The Plan Journal
2023
DOI : 10.15274/tpj.2023.08.01.1
Expériences urbaines et espaces publics à Copenhague
Les Cahiers de l'ASPAN
2016
Programming play into public space?
Metropolitics
2015
Programmer le jeu dans l’espace public ?
Métropolitiques
2014
Books
Universal Singular : Public space design of the early 21st century
Basel: Birkhäuser.En mutation. Conceptions urbaines. Projets contemporains de reconversion de sites industriels en Suisse
Gollion: Infolio.Theses
Quartiers rhodaniens en transition
Lausanne, EPFL, 2024.DOI : 10.5075/epfl-thesis-9791.
Espace public comme objet per se? Une analyse critique de la conception contemporaine
Lausanne, EPFL, 2018.DOI : 10.5075/epfl-thesis-8495.
Book Chapters
L'espace public à l'ère du collectif / Öffentlicher Raum im Zeitalter des Kollektivs
Social Loft. En quête de nouvelles formes d'habitat / Auf der Suche nach neuen Wohnformen; Zurich: Triest Verlag,2023.
p. 271.The Quality of the Way to School lies in the Design Details
School Journey as a Third Place: Theories, Methods and Experiences Around The World; London: Anthem Press,2023.
De quelques lignes fondatrices
Plage des Eaux Vives et Port-Noir, Genève; Zurich: Espazium - Les éditions de la culture du bâti,2022.
p. 30.Von ein paar Linien geleitet
Plage des Eaux Vives und Port-Noir, Genf; Zurich: Espazium - Les éditions de la culture du bâti,2022.
p. 30.Spaces
Landscape Architecture Europe #6 Second Glance; Wageningen: Blauwdruk Publishers,2022.
p. 432.Embracing the Ordinary: Behind the Design of Public Spaces
Common Grounds. Atelier Descombes Rampini 2000-2015; Basel: Birkhäuser,2017-10-30.
“Accueillir l’ordinaire” : les dessous de la conception d’espaces publics
Lieux communs. Atelier Descombes Rampini 2000-2015; Gollion: Infolio,2017-10-19.
Proscrire ou prescrire? Implication de choix de conception sur les appropriations des espaces publics
Espace public, espace politique.; Bordeaux: BAOBAB Dealer d'Espaces,2015.
p. 46-49.Mises en relation
En mutation. Conceptions urbaines; Gollion: Infolio,2015.
p. 163-183.Entre continuité et rupture
En mutation. Conceptions urbaines; Gollion: Infolio,2015.
p. 17-31.Introduction
En mutation. Conceptions urbaines; Gollion: Infolio,2015.
p. 14-15.Working Papers
Le vélo et la marche, une revue de littérature
2023-03-23
Cycling and walking: literature review
2023-03-23
Reports
Cycling and walking as means of transport - current review of the research
2023
Le vélo et la marche comme moyens de transport : état actuel de la recherche
2023
Talks
Espaces publics : un champ de conception établi. Et maintenant ?
Séminaire EspaceSuisse , Neuchâtel, 17 Novembre 2022.Student Projects
Regroupement d'une école professionnelle et d'un colegio au Sud de Quito, Equateur
2014D'un équipement public à une pièce urbaine mixte
2014Requalification d'un secteur des rives de la Sava, à Belgrade (Serbie). Un port - Un musée
2010Advisor(s) :
Quartier des Plaines-du-Loup: Éco-quartier, quartier durable ou quartier vitrine? Analyse de la mise en œuvre de participation et de mixite
2008Advisor(s) : ;
Media
La Rue
2022-02-19.