Steffen Lehmann is a prominent urbanist, having held high-profile academic and professional leadership positions and shaped cities, institutions, and policy across four continents (Europe, the US, Australia, and Asia).
His expertise spans research, design, and implementation — combining global vision with hands-on leadership to translate theory into tangible urban outcomes. He has lectured and published extensively on his work and research.
In the 1990s, he played an important role in the design of the ‘New Berlin’. In 2008, he was appointed the inaugural holder of the UNESCO Chair for Sustainable Urban Development in the Asia-Pacific.
Lehmann's 35-year long career with executive responsibility and strategic decision-making was shaped by direct collaboration with four of the 20th century's most consequential architects:
Arata Isozaki, James Stirling, Hans Hollein, and Christian de Portzamparc.
He worked with these masters on a wide range of projects.
Summary & Keywords
An eternal optimist and radical pragmatist, he is on a mission to transform architecture and urban development — making it more resourceful, distinctive, and alive.
As he said in a 2023 interview:
"I don't believe in fairytales. I believe in dreams.“
Keywords: Areas of Expertise
Architecture and urbanism
Sustainable and resource-efficient architectural and urban design
Urban development strategies for future cities
Urban heat island effect
Climate change, urban resilience, and environmental sustainability
High-performance architecture, innovation, and entrepreneurship
Mass timber construction methods
Reduction of construction waste
Urban systems and the integration of sustainability principles.
