About Bell Architects

Bell Architects, founded by Michael Bell AIA in 1992, is a full service architectural firm located in New Orleans' Warehouse District. While our experience and expertise range within a wide variety of building types, we have chosen to place particular emphasis on multi-family and custom homes.

Michael Bell, AIA

Michael was born in New Orleans, Louisiana and graduated from Tulane University with a Masters of Architecture and a Juris Doctor degree. He practiced architecture for four years in Dallas, Texas before returning home. Michael has been active in his community, including service on the boards or governing bodies of Trinity Episcopal School, St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church and the Louisiana Children's Museum. He was the 2007 President of AIA New Orleans.
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Bell Architects and the Community

Bell Architects has been substantially involved in community and charitable activities. In addition to its support of organizations with which its personnel have been involved, Bell Architects as a firm has provided significant in-kind services to these non-profit organizations as well as to the Louisiana Children's Museum, the New Orleans Museum of Art and others.
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New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity

Bell Architects has designed for New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity several homes that fit into the unique urban fabric of New Orleans. The homes are designed to be inexpensive and volunteer-friendly, and to be timeless so that the homeowners will be confident that they will appreciate in value. Literally hundreds of these homes are being constructed by NOAHH, most notably in the Musicians' Village in New Orleans' Ninth Ward.
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Felicity Street Redevelopment Project

Bell Architects provided design services in connection with the relocation and reconstruction of an historic home designed by A.T. Wood. Felicity Street Redevelopment Project aims to attract investment and homebuyers to New Orleans' Central City, and in this case, to save architectural treasures from the wrecking ball.
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Junior League of New Orleans

Bell Architects designed the 2002 Junior League of New Orleans Decorators' Show House. Proceeds of the event benefited the League's numerous community service projects, particularly public education.
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Our Vision

Our vision takes us beyond the obvious, addressing a myriad of details along the way. We feel that part of our job is to act as stewards and guide our clients on a journey to reach the mutual goal of shared vision. We feel this aspect of our service is critical to the success of every project we undertake. Over the years we have itemized the components that contribute to what we feel is our vision.

Because we were founded on the principle that architecture is first and foremost a service, we start the process of design by listening intently. We then respond with creative solutions. Out of this conversation grows a mutual enterprise in which every aspect of design and execution reflects the client's goals and aspirations and the architect's vision and skill.
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Land, Space, Light and Form

We strive to create architecture that grows from the land and heightens its occupants' awareness and appreciation for the immediate and larger environment. By paying careful attention to scale, light, form, detail and purpose, we strive to create spaces that comfort and inspire the individuals who inhabit them. Each building site comes with its own unique relationship to the sun and its own opportunities for the creative use of natural light. Each of our building's forms is the creatively inspired result of its physical and communal site, its function, and the client's stylistic aspirations.
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Community, Structure, Craft, Detail and Sustainability

We seek to build architecture that exists harmoniously within its context, both on a neighborhood and regional scale, and that contributes to the livability of its community. Structure is most efficient when it is the logical result of the space and form it seeks to embody or when it serves as inspiration for that space and form. We explore new technologies and their potential application while understanding the value of time-honored construction and craftsmanship techniques. Meticulous attention to countless individual details results in the creation of successful and enduring architecture. Through design we attempt to reconnect people to their planet by considering design alternatives by which projects may consume less energy in their operation and be sustainable with minimal adverse impact on their environment.
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Services

You receive the greatest benefit of our expertise when we provide you with full architectural services.  We work with you to design the project in detail. We prepare complete working drawings and specifications describing in detail the work to be done to construct the project. We coordinate the bidding process and advise you as to the various contractual arrangements you may enter with the contractor who will build your home. We then administer the construction contract. This includes periodic visits to the construction site to determine if the work is proceeding in accordance with the construction documents, review of the appropriateness of the contractor’s applications for payment, interpretation of the construction documents for the contractor, and determination of the dates of final and substantial completion based on inspections of the completed work.

Although we believe that full architectural services lead to the best results, we are sometimes presented with situations where it makes sense to limit or delete certain aspects of our services. You might not want us to provide product selections because an interior designer will be doing that; you might not want us to provide bidding and negotiation or contract administration services because you have construction experience or are close to a contractor; or you might want a lesser degree of detail in the drawings because you trust the contractor to work out the details in the field. Whatever the case, we are available to discuss alternatives to full architectural services.
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Press

New Orleans Magazine

• December 2000- "Counter Cultures"
• July 2001- "Adding On: An Architect Remakes His Home"
• August 2003- "Openness and Light"
• July 2008- "Kitchens and Baths"

New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles

• Summer 2001- "Sleek and Contemporary"
• Spring 2002- "Junior League of New Orleans: Decorator’s Show House X"
• October 2006- "Banner Ford 2006 Concept Home"

Executive Traveler

• July/ August 2006- "Michael Bell"

Living Magazine: Northshore Edition

• October 2006- "Banner Ford 2006 Concept Home"

Living Magazine: Southshore Edition

• October/ November 2006- "Banner Ford 2006 Concept Home"
• August/ September 2007- "Luxury Living Only Minutes from the Causeway in Mandeville"

Architectural Record

• June 2007- "New Orleans Musicians Get Sound New Housing"

The Times-Picayune

• April 19, 2008- "Renaissance on Barrone"

AIA Architect

• August 24, 2007- "Doers Profile: Michael Bell, AIA"

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