Robert J. Bell, President

 

ABOUT ROBERT J. BELL, RLA

Robert grew up gardening and designing in Easton, Maryland on the shore of the Chesapeake Bay.  As a child Bob enjoyed the natural world and had varied interests from growing herbs to Renaissance architecture. He saw gardens in England, France, and Barbados on trips which inspired him to create eclectic gardens at home. He began creating and maintaining gardens for local properties in high school with a focus on Tidewater Maryland’s native and adapted species while also growing exotic tropical plants in his own greenhouse.  

After graduating from Cornell University with a B.S. in landscape architecture, he moved to Washington, D.C to work with landscape architecture firm Oehme, van Sweden & Associates. Notable design projects Bob managed at Oehme, van Sweden included private residences on Nantucket, MA, on Palm Beach, FL, and in the Hamptons, NY as well as The National World War II Memorial in Washington, DC, and design and construction of US Embassy compounds in Barbados, Afghanistan, and Nepal.

In 2007 Bob left Oehme, van Sweden to start his own design firm.  Bell Design, Inc. is a landscape architecture firm with current projects in Tahoe, California; Palm Beach, Florida; Oxford, Maryland, Southampton, New York; Incline Village, Nevada; Charleston, South Carolina; and Deer Valley, Utah. Bob believes each landscape project is unique and requires the utmost understanding of the client, the site, and the local climate to be a beautiful and sustainable long-term success. His horticultural training at Cornell and extensive personal gardening experience helps him select the right plants for the location, no matter where the new garden is in the world.  Bob loves finding and working with local craftspeople and artisans at each project to create uniquely designed and fabricated details that support our country’s historic design trades. 

ABOUT BELL DESIGN, INC.

Bell Design, Inc., is a landscape architecture firm based in Washington, DC, Southampton, NY, and Palm Beach, FL. Our projects range from estate master plans to townhouse gardens to hospitality and community design. Bell Design, Inc.’s work has been featured in ADPro, Forbes, Town & Country, Luxe, Veranda, Elle Décor, Martha Stewart, the Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal.

Notable projects include:

  • Kips Bay Decorator Show House 2022, Palm Beach, FL

  • Georgetown University campus, Washington, DC

  • George Washington University campus, Washington, DC

  • Lost Tree Village cottages, North Palm Beach, FL

  • Capital Area Food Bank campus, Washington, DC

  • The Riggs Hotel, Washington, DC

  • Ringgold-Carroll House (NRHP), Washington, DC

  • German Embassy campus, Washington, DC

  • Residences, Tahoe, NV

  • Residence, John’s Island, SC

  • Residence, Nantucket, MA

  • Residences, Gulf Stream, Lake Worth, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach , Wellington, West Palm Beach, FL

  • Residences, Charlottesville, VA

  • Residences, Los Angeles, CA

  • Residences, Glen Cove, Oyster Bay, Sag Harbor & Southampton, NY

  • Residences, Gibson Island, Oxford, St. Michaels, MD

  • Residences, Washington, DC

  • Residence, Park City, UT

Bell Design, Inc., blends a contemporary aesthetic with classical elements to form seamless compositions in both historic and modern landscapes.  We imbue our outdoor spaces with multi-season beauty, practicality, and environmental sensitive design.  With innovative materials, classic craftsmanship, exacting design and thoughtful plant selection, we create distinctive and dramatic gardens around the country.


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