<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-12-31</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001156826</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ARCHSTONE SMITH TRUST</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ASN</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001136856</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HOLMES NED S</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>9200 E. PANORAMA CIRCLE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 400</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ENGLEWOOD</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CO</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>80112</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>1</isOther><otherText>Trustee</otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Shares of Beneficial Interest</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-31</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>632</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>27.98</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>21622</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Shares of Beneficial Interest</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>9554</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>See footnote.</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Dividend Equivalent Units</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2004-01-02</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1142</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>27.98</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Shares</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1142</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3351</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Trustee fees deferred into shares units pursuant to Issuer's Deferred Compensation Plan.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Total direct includes ,9,622 units in Issuer's Deferred Compenation Plan and 4,000 Restricted Share Units issued pursuant to Issuer's Equity Plan for Outside Trustees.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Total indirect includes 4,000 in family limited partnership and 5,554 held in trust for children.</footnote><footnote id="F4">Dividend Equivalent Units accrue on certain option and Restricted Stock Unit grants and vest at the same rate as the underlying grant.  Upon settlement DEUs convert to shares of ASN common stock on a 1 to 1 basis and are valued at that time.  DEUs have no expiration date.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Erin McMahon, Attorney-in-Fact on behalf of Ned Holmes</signatureName><signatureDate>2004-01-02</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>



