About Dr James Lesh

Dr James Lesh is the Founding Director of Heritage Workshop, a practice dedicated to Next-Generation Conservation. An award-winning historian and heritage specialist, he established the firm to bridge the gap between deep academic rigour and commercial reality.​

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James provides strategic, outcome-focussed advice across the commercial, government, and university sectors. Specialising in 20th-century and industrial heritage, he delivers complex projects ranging from residential adaptations to city-wide heritage strategies.

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Major Projects and Awards​

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His portfolio is defined by an innovative approach that strengthens places and communities. Significant engagements include advising on the postmodern public heritage of Federation Square, developing the City of Melbourne’s heritage strategy, and leading research on the place re-naming initiative for the City of Merri-bek.

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His work has been recognised with prestigious industry awards from the Australian Institute of Architects, ArchiTeam, Victorian Government Community History Awards, University of Melbourne and University of London.

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Expert Accreditations

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James acts as an independent Expert Witness at planning and heritage tribunals. His authority in this space is widely recognised; in 2023, he delivered an invited keynote to the NSW Land and Environment Court. He is professionally accredited by Australia ICOMOS, the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA), Professional Historians Australia (PHA), and the Victorian Planning & Environmental Law Association (VPELA).

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Thought Leadership and Research​

 

A prominent industry thought leader, James actively shapes the theory and practice of heritage. He is the author of the major book Values in Cities: Urban Heritage in Twentieth-Century Australia and co-editor of People-Centred Methodologies for Heritage Conservation.

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James has published over 60 articles and frequently contributes to media outlets including The Conversation, The Age, and the ABC, having been interviewed on over 40 occasions for his insights.

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Academic and Industry Service

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James brings a level of academic experience rare in the consulting world. He is currently an Honorary Fellow at the Future Regions Research Centre (FRRC) at Federation University, where his research focuses on the intersection of heritage, people and place. He holds a PhD from the University of Melbourne, a Master of Arts from the University of London, and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and Bachelor of Commerce. Previously, he has held academic appointments at the University of Melbourne, University of Sydney, Deakin University, and King’s College London, and lectures at universities across Australia.

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Beyond academia, he has delivered professional development training for the Planning Institute of Australia and the University of Melbourne. Committed to the global profession, James serves as an ICOMOS evaluator for UNESCO World Heritage, sits on the Strategic Advocacy Reference Group for Australia ICOMOS, and is on the Editorial Board for Provenance (Public Record Office Victoria).

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He has previously held leadership and committee roles with the National Trust of Australia (Victoria), the Commonwealth Heritage Forum, the European Association of Urban History, the Australasian Urban History / Planning History Group, and Citizens for Melbourne.​