Steffen Lehmann works at the intersection of practice and scholarship, with an international reputation in green urbanism and a long record of institutional leadership across Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America.
He has held tenured full professor positions at three universities:
the University of Nevada (USA), the University of Portsmouth (UK) and the University of South Australia (AUS), where he led the university-wide research theme Sustainable Cities. He founded and directed the UK Cluster for Sustainable Cities — a multidisciplinary research centre of over 50 researchers focused on urban sustainability and resilience, recognised nationally and internationally for its impact. Prior to these roles, he spent 14 years as a full professor and chair at leading Australian universities, serving as director of research centres and head of school.
His standing as a committed advocate for environmental quality and architectural excellence is reflected in a series of prestigious awards, high-profile appointments, and field-defining research.
Leadership
Professional Leadership
His practice operated as a Generalplanung firm, providing fully integrated design and project delivery services. As principal of his studio, Lehmann has negotiated numerous large architectural contracts and led projects across a range of delivery methods.
He has led three schools and departments of architecture and overseen accreditation processes in both the UK and Australia.
As head of school in Perth, he was responsible for more than 3,000 students and 120 academic and professional staff, overseeing offshore programs in Malaysia and Hong Kong and managing an annual operating budget of AUD $45 million. He drove teaching reforms that measurably improved student outcomes and grew research output by over 35% per year — strengthening both quality and impact by building on existing institutional strengths.
As a strategic leader, his focus has consistently been on growth, entrepreneurship, and industry partnerships — rebuilding alumni and donor relationships, developing graduate programs for lifelong learning, and launching Global Studio study-abroad programs.
Administrative Leadership
