Michael Winstanley, AIA AICP is an architect, urbanist, and creative strategist who thrives at the intersection of visionary ideas and precise execution. As the founder and Design Director of Winstanley Architects & Planners, with studios in Washington, DC and Miami, he has built a practice grounded in the belief that design should be ambitious, contextual, and elegantly resolved—regardless of scale. From national memorials and urban waterfronts to academic campuses and boutique hotels, his work is unified by a singular purpose: to shape culture, elevate the public realm, and advance the role of architecture in civic life.
Michael’s approach is deeply interdisciplinary. He intentionally structured his studio to integrate planning, architecture, and interiors into a cohesive process, ensuring continuity from vision to execution. The firm maintains a careful balance between design innovation and technical precision, a dual strength recognized by national and international design awards and by its selection as Architect of Record for globally celebrated designers including Kengo Kuma, Sir David Adjaye, and Jacques Garcia. Winstanley leads each project with an emphasis on conceptual clarity, buildability, and a humanist sensibility that honors history, place, and people.
His portfolio includes the forthcoming National Global War on Terrorism Memorial on the National Mall; the Old Dominion Boat Club in Alexandria, now a civic icon in a historic district; the renovation of Union Station in Washington, DC; and the Braystone Condominiums, a contemporary infill project integrating two restored 18th-century buildings in Old Town. His planning work spans from the Potomac River Transportation Framework Plan, to a comprehensive campus plan and restoration effort at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, to the Monuments and Museums Master Plan for the National Capital Planning Commission. Most recently, he led the Ponce Paradise Master Plan in Puerto Rico—an innovative model for climate-resilient coastal development.
Educated at Yale, trained in New York, and now practicing between DC and Miami, Michael brings global perspective with a hands-on approach. He’s taught at leading architecture schools, served as a critic in the U.S. and abroad. Whether sketching a civic square or rethinking the edge of a coastline, Michael Winstanley designs with conviction, clarity, and purpose.
Education
Master of Architecture
Yale University
Bachelor of Arts/Environmental Science
University of Vermont
Registrations and Affiliations
Registered Architect – Multiple States
NCARB Certified
American Institute of Architects (AIA)
Mike Balaban
Managing Director
Mike Balaban dreamed of being an architect as a kid in Philadelphia, and with conviction, he set off to obtain his degree, his license and a job designing buildings. Soon, while walking in the proverbial yellow wood, Mike took the road not taken and ended up with an MBA and the head of a major development organization for twenty years. Full Bio
Leejung Hong LEED AP
Principal
Leejung Hong LEED AP tackles both architecture and planning assignments with a vengeance. Clients love her organizational skills and have basically just resigned themselves to do what she says.
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Michael Winstanley AIA
Design Director
Michael Winstanley AIA leads the office creatively. He has won numerous design awards in architecture interiors and planning. His work has been widely published. Mr. Winstanley has been responsible for over 20 design awards from professional organizations.
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George Eisenberger AIA LEED AP
Principal
George Eisenberger AIA LEED AP is very knowledgeable of building technology and project management protocols. He leads the technical compliance and quality assurance program for the firm.
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