Amalia Leifeste

Amalia Leifeste is the Director of the Graduate Program in Historic Preservation at Clemson University. She is an architect by training and brings this disciplinary focus to the historic preservation faculty. Specializing within the field of architecture, Ms. Leifeste earned certificates in both Sustainable Design and Historic Preservation. Her interests in sustainable, contextual design, and the social dimensions of architecture led naturally to an investigation of preservation themes in the built environment. Amalia teaches content relating to the history of building construction, building documentation, preservation projects (including HSRs, ruins stabilization, area character appraisals, and sensitive infill designs), and sustainability and preservation. Her research agenda revolves around fostering a sustainable building culture, and she sees preservation practice as essential to a healthy building culture and ‘cultural sustainability’. Her co-authored book is titled Sustainable Heritage: Merging Environmental Conservation and Historic Preservation (Routledge, 2018).