http://www.mbelisledesign.com/essays daily 0.75 2016-03-01 http://www.mbelisledesign.com/projects-2 daily 1.0 2017-11-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57310a7840261d67c70fcfb4/1483643866551-BW9F1PFFHG1ULD84QPD1/PeriPoint_01.jpg Projects https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57310a7840261d67c70fcfb4/1484841617129-YFNTPDVDYPI29SN9LWM6/Cluck+University+Chicken+Exterior+View+2+001.jpg Projects - Cluck University Chicken This was a reinterpretation of a fast food restaurant chain employing a minimalist aesthetic that emphasized construction detailing and a color palette comprised of primary colors set against a neutral background. The whimsical murals by Washington, DC artist Elyse Harrison enhance the Pop energy of the space. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57310a7840261d67c70fcfb4/1484868582398-5C7IBVEB24H9F61MFS7M/Chapel+Detail+of+Trusses+2+001.jpg Projects - Chapel at Milton Ridge The original building was built in 1875 for use as a small chapel and has historic designation. The client intended to restore the exterior faithfully to its original condition and reinterpret the interior space to accommodate weddings and receptions. The interior had to be a simple, clean space, evoking the spirit of its original use as a small church. The spatial configuration is straightforward: storage, mechanical, and bathroom to the rear, a two story chapel area, and a loft for music, refreshments, etc. The simplicity of the space allowed for the truss design to be a focal point. The trusses were fabricated using recycled, rough hewn poplar and painted steel gusset plates. · AIA award winner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57310a7840261d67c70fcfb4/1484841842188-W5DJCPGS0KC788E1QB92/HZDG+Entrance.jpg Projects - HZDG A multi-disciplinary design and marketing firm desired a new corporate space that was adventurous, dynamic, and inspiring both for its employees and clients. The use of curving and diagonal walls helped to reinforce the sense of adventure and dynamism. To brighten the space, the few existing windows were allocated to public spaces and translucent acrylic walls were employed throughout (lobby, conference room, and executive offices.) The recurrent grid motif, derived from the company logo, provided a counterpoint to the existing, circular gridded windows. The color palette was also derived from the company logo: sienna, blue, umber, and gray/green. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57310a7840261d67c70fcfb4/1485980657669-5MHMB4J1JWPB1KE32IDF/Model+View+3+001.jpg Projects - Software Business Residence This business/residence for a software designer and developer was conceived as a group of platonic forms joined together. The rectangular form contains business use on the 1st and 2nd floors, the hexagonal 3rd floor is the residential suite with a roof deck, the triangular stair tower joins all 3 floors, and the suspension bridge linking to the triangular design studio becomes a metaphor for the process of an idea becoming reality.   https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57310a7840261d67c70fcfb4/1484946102418-L53U33UJ8TM8VNO78T8A/Spiritual+Center+Model+View+001.jpg Projects - Spiritual Center This project was to be a non-denominational retreat for adults intended as a short term residence for those seeking spiritual enrichment. The design is conceived as two intersecting axes: the long axis is a series of tall spaces containing kitchen, dining, music hall, study, meditation courtyard, and studio, and the short axis contains the entry hall, music hall, meeting room, and sunroom with the second and third floors containing private bedroom suites. The exterior of the building borrows from the local barn vernacular. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57310a7840261d67c70fcfb4/1484842602925-RLMQASOAT4PHWNSBTB34/Light+Detail+001.jpg Projects - Michael Belisle Design This small, 300 sf storefront studio served as the home for Michael Belisle Design for 13 years until 2010. The concept was to create an artistic and transparent architectural studio with an aura of mystery. · AIA award winner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57310a7840261d67c70fcfb4/1484842701014-2DCASZWOC7994Z5DY360/Juvenile+Center+Model+View+1+001.jpg Projects - Home for Juvenile Offenders This project was to be a temporary residence/rehabilitation clinic for youth from the New York City area. The inspiration for this design was the archetypal Greek hill town. Located on a hilly site near the coast, the facility is designed to adapt to the undulating landscape through a series of pavilions connected by interior/exterior loggias. These separate pavilions comprise a music room, living/dining/kitchen facilities, private sleeping rooms, and an art studio. The desire was for a facility that embraced nature and did not feel institutional. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57310a7840261d67c70fcfb4/1484870641590-6FEXDBE2K0CWFZGBJYI9/Entry+Prive+Digital+Model.jpg Projects - Salon / Spa The client for this project desired a new look and feel for his hair salon/spa business. A new 3 story building was realized with the 1st floor/mezzanine and 2nd floor to be used for the business and the 3rd floor to be used for another synergistic use. The building was conceived as a very light and transparent structure, utilizing a curtain wall system, thus allowing an abundance of natural light into the space and creating drama for the street. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57310a7840261d67c70fcfb4/1484068072822-82EYFJYY1FVV9LT6RJ1A/Elevation+1.jpg Projects - Quixote Center A second phase addition for the Quixote Center, a non-profit organization focused on social justice issues, was to contain a large conference room, offices, and a kitchen. The two connected pavilions were designed to emulate the existing, accretive structure which was comprised of many additions. The saturated coloring of the exteriors reflected the Center’s affiliation and support of Guatemalan folk art. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57310a7840261d67c70fcfb4/1497889442198-JKJ7EPGHFE5XH4JA7P5P/%237.jpg Projects - Puree Juice Bar When the founder/owner/chef-de-cuisine of Puree Juice Bar was invited to expand her concept from Bethesda, Md. to the Mosaic District in Fairfax, Va. the expansion seemed very organic; replicate what works in one dense, upscale, mixed use environment to another. Moving across the “Potomac Ocean” provided challenges. Unlike Bethesda which has grown organically and is surrounded by well established neighborhoods, the Mosaic District is a newly created town center surrounded by highway sprawl, so aside from people living within the district, the development functions as a vehicular destination. The challenge for retailers without a recognizable brand in these newly created, instant “town centers” can be intense competition for customer awareness and spending. Puree Juice Bar provides organic, vegan, and unpasteurized juices and prepared foods for public consumption but because the market share for this cuisine is limited, the product, the service, and the space have to resonate with the customer. Transparency and art were the two guiding principles for this design. The inherited space was small (under 700 sf) and compressed. To air it out, most of the walls and the ceiling were removed. The decision to open up the existing storefront with the insertion of awning windows was made to make the “barrier of entry” less formidable for the customer and to extend the otherwise small space. The front kitchen is completely open to the public and the back kitchen and bathroom are screened by an art installation that functions as both scrim and branding. This art scrim and another large mural that anchors a small seating area off to the side were executed by a local artist on translucent, acrylic panels. The dropped polycarbonate ceiling and the cladding for the customized “grab and go”, both of which are translucent, complement the art and reinforce the feeling of transparency. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57310a7840261d67c70fcfb4/1484841481283-ADI6A4DLR49LUWO2KER1/Peripoint+Detail+Bay+Windows.jpg Projects - Peripoint The metaphor of a chrysalis is appropriate to any constructional discussion or critique of this project. From within the shell of a 1920’s building, a new 3 story, steel and concrete structure was extruded. Another metaphor is encouraged to convey the symbolic and aesthetic essence of this building: a beacon. Owing to its dominant location at a 5 point intersection in downtown Bethesda, Maryland, by day it serves as a landmark within the context of the city and by night it becomes a lantern. The building was designed to meet Silver LEED certification. · NAIOP award winner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57310a7840261d67c70fcfb4/1486077864582-XD4DVKA3BJPCLKQJFTB8/Renewable+EC+2.jpg Projects - Renewable Energy Complex 1 These are concepts for IT driven, light industrial projects focused on renewable energy. The emphasis on desertous landscapes exploits the potential for both solar and wind energy. The projects are intended to both meld and contrast with the harsh and stark landscapes they occupy. http://www.mbelisledesign.com/blog-forte daily 0.75 2025-05-12 http://www.mbelisledesign.com/blog-forte/2016/2/22/alveolar-glottis-3pab8 monthly 0.5 2016-02-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56cb3e0bf85082a807c001fe/1456175561685-689P6R253SY7L7ZUGS8M/image-asset.jpeg Blog - Alveolar Glottis http://www.mbelisledesign.com/blog-forte/2016/2/22/plosive-morphological-syntax-wxz3b monthly 0.5 2016-02-22 http://www.mbelisledesign.com/blog-forte/2016/2/22/frication-gxad7 monthly 0.5 2016-02-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56cb3e0bf85082a807c001fe/1456174786658-ESX1F0ACTUBD7T6HVWJG/image-asset.jpeg Blog - Frication http://www.mbelisledesign.com/blog-forte/2016/2/22/velar-aspirations-3hhzj monthly 0.5 2016-02-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56cb3e0bf85082a807c001fe/1456174600196-5M3EV7ID7V960T95AIHY/image-asset.jpeg Blog - Velar Aspirations https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56cb3e0bf85082a807c001fe/1456174567838-NZSZDT1CEPPUG0P5I32P/image-asset.jpeg Blog - Velar Aspirations http://www.mbelisledesign.com/contact daily 0.75 2021-02-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57310a7840261d67c70fcfb4/1462996918389-QGXVDMSEUBLR2RF4QQXW/image-asset.jpeg Contact http://www.mbelisledesign.com/sketchbook daily 0.75 2016-05-12 http://www.mbelisledesign.com/about-2 daily 0.75 2017-11-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57310a7840261d67c70fcfb4/1486077787898-P0OS1CMRQWQSNG93NZEF/image-asset.jpeg About Software Business / Residence