Matthew Coates

Matthew G. Coates is an American architect based on Bainbridge Island, Washington. He is the founder and principal of Coates Design Architects + Interiors, an architecture and interiors firm known for its emphasis on sustainable and regionally responsive design in the Pacific Northwest. Coates first gained national attention in 2005 after co-leading the winning team in the Cradle to Cradle Home Design Competition, an international sustainable housing contest organized by Metropolis magazine and McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry.

Early life and education

Coates was born and raised in northern Michigan, an environment he described as “ecologically pristine,” which influenced his early commitment to environmental stewardship. As a teenager he pursued his interest in architecture; by age 14 he was running blueprints at a local firm, an experience that cemented his passion for sustainable design.

Over the years, projects by Coates and his firm have been featured in numerous architecture and design publications. Western Art & Architecture profiled him in 2013 as a “One to Watch,” highlighting the firm's philosophy of “Responsible Architecture” and its aim to create buildings with positive environmental impact. Amazing Architecture, and Contemporist, as well as in outlets like American Luxury and The New York Times.

One of Coates’ most prominent projects is the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (BIMA), for which he served as lead architect. The 20,000-square-foot art museum opened in 2013 and was designed with extensive sustainable features, including abundant natural daylighting, automated exterior louver screens to control solar gain, and insulation made from recycled materials. The building achieved LEED Gold certification in 2016, reportedly becoming the first newly constructed art museum in Washington state to attain that status.

Coates has also designed other public and commercial buildings in the region, such as the Island Gateway development (which includes the Kids Discovery Museum) and the planned Gateway Center in Grays Harbor.

His projects are highly site-responsive, often oriented to maximize natural light and views, and tailored to the client's lifestyle while minimizing ecological impact. Hansen Road House – Custom Bainbridge Island home featured in Architect Magazine (2025).

Awards and recognition

Grand Prize – Cradle to Cradle Home Design Competition (2005) LEED Gold Certification – Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (2016)

Coates is a licensed architect (AIA, NCARB) and a LEED Accredited Professional. In 2010, his firm's Ellis Residence on Bainbridge Island was the first home outside Seattle to receive LEED Platinum certification.