SANTE ARCHITECTS PROFILE
Sante Architects is a full service design firm founded in 2004 and located in the historic Ranta Shop building in the heart of downtown Telluride, Colorado. Our work ranges widely, though focuses on residential architecture in San Miguel County. We enjoy the comparatively small interior architecture and remodel projects as well the larger multi-building and commercial developments. Our experience with historic remodels and restorations within Telluride's Historic District has given us the proven ability to tackle any project type. We thrive on this diversity of design opportunity and bring this experience to each new project.
Peter brings more than 20 years of experience guiding projects through the various town and surrounding neighborhood design review boards. This experience allows us to simplify the process for our clients while maintaining project integrity and efficient timelines. Our dedicated staff has the proven experience, design depth, and technical expertise to take our projects through to completion, whether they be small and in-house or large team collaborations. Sante Architects strives to deliver a high level of design with an equal level of documentation and team coordination that is tailored to each project.
We have the first and only LEED Gold Certified home in Telluride, completed in 2010. Our commitment to sustainable design takes different forms in each project. The use of high efficiency products and recycled materials is now in the norm. Thoughtful design and specification tailored to each client/project is in continuous evolution.
MEET OUR TEAM
Peter Sante, Registered Architect, NCARB, BArch. Arch History (Minor)
Peter Justin Sante,
Married. Born 1968 in Ruston, Louisiana Studied at the University of Oregon. Graduated in 1994.
Moved to the Telluride area in 1980, as a kid from the midwest, with his family. The adventures of mountain living drew him back summers and after college. Working in local architecture firms including Aspen's Cottle Graybeal Yaw Architects for eight years in both Aspen and Telluride offices before opening Sante Architects in the summer of 2004 with a mission to both build and preserve the Telluride community's built environment. He served on HARC for eight years and contributes to other neighborhood design review boards today.
Peter's leadership and design capabilities on projects ranging in scale and uses have explored timeless, contextual, and forward looking solutions that can also be described as simple and modern.
The variety of projects types is a big appeal for Peter, now that he's started his third decade in the local practice of architecture.Whether big compound homes on high mountain meadows, or the tiny homes, in historic alley sheds in Telluride, or mixed-use commercial/residential infill, interior architecture, multi-family and somewhere in between.
Interests include adventuring in the great outdoors, crossfit, local architectural history, mountain biking, skiing, and traveling.
Matt Lee, Registered Architect, AIA, LEED AP
William Matt Lee was born and raised on the farm, the suburbs and in the cities of Mississippi; giving him a unique perspective on rural, suburban and urban lifestyles. After graduating from and working for the School of Architecture at Mississippi State University, Matt headed to the mountains to explore the wonders of elevation and to escape the heat and humidity of the Deep South.
Matt has over a decade and a half of experience practicing architecture based out of the Vail and Aspen valleys, and his projects have taken him all over the Western Rocky Mountain region and internationally. Matt founded his own architectural practice after working for two award winning Colorado design firms: Cottle Carr Yaw Architects and Morter Architects. Matt has experience working on projects ranging from high-end residential, multifamily housing, ski and golf resort base development, restaurants, performing arts facilities, and educational facilities.
Matt joined Sante Architects in the fall of 2016, and is happy to be living in his favorite mountain town.
Matt’s artistic habits range from ceramics, to watercolors, to furniture building. Working with these mediums is a continual exploration into how we interact with the tangible buildings we create and the environment in which we build. When not in the office, Matt can be found in the whitewater until it freezes; on the slopes when it does; and traveling the country year-round to satisfying his love of seeing live music.
Heather Swallow,
Born in western New York. Studied at the State University of New York at Geneseo and at Oxford University in England.
Studied biochemistry and studio art at Geneseo and went on to study humanities and environmental management at Oxford University. Heather started her life in Colorado in 1994, settling in Boulder, where she raced bikes, worked as a free-lance architectural model-builder, remodeled a home, designed and built wood furniture, and discovered her passions for rock climbing, yoga, mountain running, and skate skiing. Many summers were spent teaching photography to high school students at the Putney School in Vermont.
Heather joined the Sante team in 2013 as bookkeeper, model-builder, and miscellaneous handy-person extraordinaire. She also a calligrapher, teaches skiing to 3 and 4 year-olds at the ski area in the wintertime, and volunteers with the local search and rescue team.
Interests include backcountry skiing, mountain biking, kayaking, climbing, salsa dancing, ceramics, gardening, and time outside in the mountains.
