About

Elaine B. Stiles is Associate Professor of Historic Preservation in the Cummings School of Architecture at Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island. Elaine’s research focuses on the design processes and politics that shaped twentieth-century suburban development and affordable housing agendas in the US. Her current book project, “Tract House Revolution: Design for Rehousing America,” examines the design processes of large-scale merchant builders as they reconciled art, politics, technology, and market factors to transform Americans' attitudes about the home and American housing culture. Elaine’s career includes two decades of experience as an architectural historian, historic preservation planner, and preservation advocate. Her preservation-related research focuses on the connections between material culture and memory and the impacts of prevailing preservation practices on social equity and inclusion. Elaine holds a BA in Art History from Smith College and an MA in Preservation Studies from Boston University, and a PhD in Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley.