معرفی
Cécile Fournel is an Associate Professor of Design at ESAA Martinière-Diderot in Lyon. She is affiliated with the CRESSON research team and the AAU Laboratory, and is part of a Joint Research Unit involving CNRS, UGA, ENSA Nantes, ENSA Grenoble, and Centrale Nantes.
Her academic background includes:
- Student at École Normale Supérieure (Cachan), design department (2001-2007)
- Associate Professor (2005)
- Monitor-stipendiary at University of Paris I – Sorbonne (2007-2010)
- Doctor of Theory and Sciences of Art and Design from University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne (2021)
Cécile Fournel's research centers on contemporary urban environments, with a focus on "-demonstrative" images (painting, photography, film) and their capacity to support positions. She explores the role of designers in multidisciplinary teams and the qualities of peri-urban areas considered "disaffected." Her doctoral thesis, "State of (non) places. Perspectives and theories on appreciable environments," challenged Marc Augé's negative view of "non-places" by proposing the possibility of "loving non-places" through iconographic work including photographs and video montages.
Her recent publications (2024-2025) demonstrate a consistent focus on design theory, visual studies, and urban environments. The works examine designer identity, visual cognition, urban photography, and architectural drawing, reflecting her interdisciplinary approach that bridges design practice with theoretical inquiry.
Her scientific contributions include:
- "The designer 'next door'" (2025)
- "Visual thinking and '-monstrative' images" (2024)
- "Drawing like an architect" (2024)
- "Unfinished Color" (2024)
- "A wider field. Urbanities put to the test by photographic 'recording'" (2024)
Cécile Fournel teaches history and theory of design, preparation for design exams, history of art, history of architecture, and practical courses across multiple media. Her teaching approach reflects her research methodology that integrates critical writing with visual creation.
She leads research within the CRESSON team, focusing on design in contemporary urban contexts and the theoretical frameworks that support design practice, particularly examining how designers can meaningfully engage with peri-urban environments through innovative visual methodologies.
