McClean Design

Skylark turns a dramatically constrained hillside site into one of the defining features of the architecture.

Designed as a sequence of bridges, suspended volumes, and interconnected spaces, the residence transforms movement into an experience. Car elevators replace the conventional garage, an entry bridge spans a three-story light court, and expansive tilting glass walls dissolve the boundary between the interior and the surrounding terraces.

Exposed structural steel, basalt, limestone, and natural stone establish a material palette that celebrates construction as much as form, creating a home where engineering and architecture are inseparable.

A residence shaped not by the limitations of its site, but by the opportunities they created.

The experience of this residence begins long before the front door. A winding approach gradually reveals sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean before unfolding into a home designed to celebrate light, landscape, and year-round indoor–outdoor living.

Organized across three levels, the architecture responds to the site’s unique peninsula condition with a central water courtyard that introduces natural light deep into the lower level while establishing a quiet focal point at the heart of the home. Expansive living spaces extend seamlessly toward the surrounding gardens and pool, while a warm palette of limestone, oak, and refined metal accents balances the home’s clean architectural lines. Every space is carefully positioned to frame the landscape, creating a residence that feels equally connected to its natural setting and the rhythms of everyday life.

Perched high above Los Angeles, this residence is designed around the experience of landscape, light, and water. A transparent living pavilion extends toward sweeping 270-degree views, while warm natural materials and immersive gardens create a home that feels both expansive and deeply connected to its surroundings.

Responding to a dense hillside neighborhood and strict height limitations, Robin Drive rethinks how volume and openness can coexist. By lowering the main level into the site and carefully rotating the upper floor, the home maximizes living space while maintaining privacy and preserving uninterrupted views across Los Angeles.

Water becomes a defining element throughout the arrival sequence, from the basalt-clad rotunda and reflecting garden to the infinity-edge pool that traces the natural contours of the site. Expanses of glass dissolve the boundary between indoors and out, creating a continuous connection from the entry courtyard to the skyline beyond.

A refined palette of Bardiglio marble, black basalt, quartzite, oak, and Palladio gray sandstone lends warmth and permanence, complementing a home where thoughtful planning shapes every experience.

Levels marked McClean Design’s first substantial project in Los Angeles, introducing an architectural concept that remains just as compelling today.

Designed around a 75-foot pool, the residence is organized into distinct public and private wings connected by a series of bridges. Full-height glazing, flowing water, and uninterrupted sightlines create a seamless relationship between the home, its landscape, and the city beyond.

In 2016, McClean Design returned to thoughtfully reimagine the residence, adding a recording studio and refining the interiors while preserving the integrity of the original design.

A home that reflects how enduring architecture can evolve while staying true to its original vision.

A hillside setting in the Bird Streets inspired a home that embraces light, landscape, and the rhythm of everyday living. Elevated above the street, the main level captures expansive views across Los Angeles while a series of skylights, light wells, and courtyards bring natural light deep into every level.

The arrival unfolds gradually through a quiet entry sequence, where layered outdoor spaces, water, and sculptural circulation create a sense of calm before opening to bright, interconnected living spaces centered around the garden and pool.

Below, entertainment, wellness, and guest spaces continue the same connection to light and landscape, proving that even the lower level can feel open and inviting.

A restrained palette of plaster, stone, wood, and metal ties the architecture together, creating a home that feels both timeless and deeply connected to its setting.

Every constraint became an opportunity to create something extraordinary.

Set on a narrow triangular site in Beverly Hills, this residence transforms a challenging parcel into a family home defined by light, water, and carefully framed views. A glass bridge spanning the central light court creates a dramatic arrival, while cascading water features and transparent living spaces establish a seamless connection from the street to the city beyond.

The home’s defining gesture is the cantilevered primary suite, floating above the infinity-edge pool without visible columns. This bold structural move preserves uninterrupted movement through the landscape below while providing shade to the outdoor living spaces and framing sweeping views of Los Angeles.

Designed to celebrate both family life and its remarkable setting, every level of the home balances privacy, openness, and a constant relationship with the landscape.

A study in light, privacy, and connection to landscape. Set on a hillside lot in West Hollywood’s iconic Bird Streets, this home was designed around three priorities: maximizing panoramic views of Downtown LA, preserving meaningful outdoor space, and bringing natural light deep into the architecture.

From the dramatic entry sequence to the expansive open living spaces, every detail was carefully considered to create a seamless experience between indoors and out. A two-story green wall, linear courtyard, and oversized skylight flood the lower level with natural light, transforming the basement into warm, inviting living space.

A layered palette of natural wood, travertine, and marble softens the clean contemporary lines, creating a home that feels both refined and welcoming. Architecture, interiors, and landscape exist in complete harmony.