Steven Stept
Q: Where are you from? Where did you go to school?
Western Pennsylvania, a small, former steel-mill town named Johnstown. Famous for the 1889 Johnstown Flood and two others, one when I was in High School in 1977. I went to school at Penn State University in State College, PA, having many memorable moments as a member of the Blue Band and watching college football.
Q: Tell me about your family.
My wife, Camille, was born in Jamaica, and immigrated to the US when she was 2, living in Palo Alto and San Jose as her parents worked at Stanford for 30+ years. Our kids, Shayna (14) and Jaden (12) were together for one cross over Middle School year in 2023/2024 and it was amazing to see their strong bond every day. Our daughter has moved on this year and is enjoying her freshman year in High School. We have two great kids who are passionate about playing soccer and social with many friends - we are blessed that they have a super close connection as siblings. It’s a great moment in life seeing them thrive in their respective environments.
Q: When did you first become interested in architecture?
My mom would probably say that I loved playing with Lincoln Logs as a young kid (am I dating myself?), however, it may have indirectly been many visits to my grandparents’ modern, single-story home nearby. They designed and built this home within the context of a blue-collar east coast town where modernism was not the standard.
Q: What kinds of projects do you most enjoy working on?
Projects with a strong balance of team collaboration and amazing clients, where design has a meaningful impact on our clients’ lives, and ultimately, we exceed client expectations!
Q: What’s your favorite part about coming to work?
Working together and seeing the magic happen up close with design and management conversations when I can pull up a chair and dive into the details of the project. Lately, I've also enjoyed observing design through the exploration of new tools and techniques used by a few of our new and talented staff!
Q: What are the top three things on your bucket list?
Family trip to Europe, improving my golf game and play 2x/week (always on my off Friday!), and attending a College Football Championship game where Penn State is in the finals.
Q: Favorite Bay Area hidden gem?
I’ve always enjoyed visiting the lighthouse at Point Bonita in the Marin Headlands!
Q: What are five features you would include in your dream home?
A view of the ocean, lots of light and openness, a soundproof room (my dream as a kid where I could play the trumpet), a large yard for soccer training, and an amazing kitchen.
Q: Where are you most excited to travel next?
Majorca, Spain (we have a friend who is a local, but didn’t make it this summer) and Florence, Italy - where I studied in college. I’d love to plan a family trip for the kids and my wife to experience Europe for the first time!
