Carol A. Wilson architecture collection

Carol Ann Wilson was born in 1953, and spent her childhood in and around Salisbury, North Carolina. She attended North Carolina State University (NCSU) for both her undergraduate and graduate degrees, completing NCSU’s Master of Architecture program in 1978. Wilson moved to Maine in 1981 and established her own firm, Carol A. Wilson Architect, in 1986. She practiced from various office spaces in Portland until building a studio on her home property in Falmouth.

Over the course of her four-decade career, Wilson worked on residential and commercial projects of all types, primarily in Maine but also in New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and beyond. Renowned for her modern style of architecture and design, many of Wilson’s projects received awards from both national and regional chapters of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), as well as other industry associations. Prescient in her focus on sustainable design and respected for her use of setting, several of her projects have been featured in books and articles. In 2017, Wilson and Princeton Architectural Press published Northern Exposure: Works of Carol A. Wilson Architect, showcasing eight of her most celebrated projects.

In addition to commissioned projects, Wilson, in 1994, co-founded House One, A Maine Corporation with Susan C. Ruch. House One was a design and construction enterprise aimed at producing affordable and well-made manufactured housing. The project gained significant attention and was featured in national publications.

In 1992, during Wilson’s tenure as President of AIA Maine, she co-founded Architalx, a nationally recognized architecture lecture series hosted at the Portland Museum of Art; in 1998, she helped establish its companion publication, Architalx. Wilson also co-founded Storefront for Architecture Maine (SFA), which produced and mounted public exhibits highlighting standout architecture in the state. In 2005, Wilson was named a Fellow of the AIA.

Throughout her career, Wilson served as a juror for industry awards and competitions, participated as a trustee on various boards, and gave lectures at symposiums, conferences, museums, workshops, and universities. She conducted student reviews and served as a thesis advisor for architecture students at several institutions, and held adjunct and visiting professor positions at Bowdoin College, Catawba College, Montana State University School of Architecture, and University of New Mexico Architecture Program. Wilson has been a mentor to many and contributed significantly to her field and her community.