people

Steve Gates, AIA
Principal/Owner
Steve Gates has over 20 years of experience in the design and construction industries. After receiving his Bachelors of Arts in Architecture from the University of New Mexico, Gates spent the next few years working in the offices of Antoine Predock and Smallwood Reynolds Stewart and Stewart in Atlanta, Georgia. Here, Gates expanded and developed his design and construction experience working on large scale public and civic buildings. This experience guided his decision to attend graduate school at the University of Colorado, Denver in 1997 where he received his Masters in Architecture. After earning his architecture license in 2002, Gates started Steve Gates Architect, LLC. His construction knowledge encourages a detailed and modern design aesthetic where every aspect of a project is unique and well developed. His involvement with his sister company, E-Terra Construction, allows him to continue to design throughout the construction process to refine and encourage a unique product.

Allison Miller, Project Architect
Allison was born and raised in Denver and had an interest in architecture since she was a kid, building forts and critiquing her father's designs. She graduated from Drury University in Springfield, Missouri in 2011 with a Bachelor of Architecture degree and a minor in art history. While in school she had the opportunity to study abroad in Volos, Greece and travel to Italy and Turkey. Allison worked with BAW Architects and Kieding in Denver on a variety of project types and sizes. Inspired to move to the mountains and live in a small town, Allison found Steve Gates Architect and fell in love with Durango. She is currently pursuing licensure to be a registered architect in the state of Colorado. When she’s not working she enjoys hot yoga, skiing, running, snowshoeing, and spending time with her husband, Luke, and dog, Charlie.

Natalie Mik, Project Architect
Natalie was raised in Farmington, New Mexico where she graduated high school. Her interest in architecture spawned from a summer adventure in Spain in which she engaged in daily lessons about the architecture of the country. After high school she left New Mexico to attend the University of California, Davis where she received her Bachelors degree in Agricultural and Resource Economics. She relocated to Southwest Colorado in 2005 determined to expand her education and interest in architecture. In 2012 she received her Masters of Architecture from the University of Colorado. A parallel interest in modern architecture and love for the Southwest brought her back to Durango in 2012 to work for Steve Gates. Natalie has a passion for activity and the outdoors and can be found trail running, mountain biking, skiing or hiking.