McClean Design

Architecture firm based in Southern California specializing in custom modern homes.

03/04/2026

First completed in 2010, this hillside residence has entered a new chapter—expanded and refined to meet the vision of its current owner. The program now includes additional parking, a guest house, and a dedicated wellness retreat, carefully integrated into the existing site.

By removing the original driveway and building downward, we introduced concealed parking and spa facilities below grade, preserving the home’s presence while enhancing its functionality. On the steep terrain, the desire for a place to experience the view led to an elevated boardwalk that winds through the trees, offering moments of pause, gardens, and framed outlooks across the Los Angeles skyline.

Unified by a cohesive material palette, the three structures read as a single estate—layered into the hillside yet open to the city beyond.

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03/02/2026

Some homes are designed. Others are built through genuine conversation.
This Bird Streets residence is the result of exactly that — a true collaboration with a client who knows what he wants, pushes you to think differently, and makes the process better for it. Working with was a privilege from the first sketch to the final detail.
Bird Streets holds a special place for us. We’ve completed over 15 projects in this part of Los Angeles — it’s where McClean Design truly found its voice. Look closely at the aerial and you’ll spot an earlier project of ours in the background. That never gets old.
The brief was about living fully — at every level of the home. A rooftop terrace designed for long evenings under the sky. A spa that restores. A bowling alley, a basketball court, a DJ booth looking out over a car gallery. And above it all, floor-to-ceiling glass that refuses to let you forget where you are.
This is what happens when architecture meets a client who dreams as big as you do.
📍 Bird Streets, West Hollywood, CA
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ModernResidential ByAlexander LuxuryHome ContemporaryLiving

02/26/2026

Set high above Sunset Boulevard, the Robin Drive residence transforms a constrained hillside lot into a layered architectural experience. The central challenge was integrating a three-level home into a predominantly one-story neighborhood—without sacrificing privacy, proportion, or panoramic city views.

Lowering the main floor allowed the massing to remain within height limits while expanding the living program. Arrival unfolds through a basalt rotunda and two-story water wall, guiding the eye toward an infinity-edge pool shaped by the natural contours of the site and positioned to maximize both garden space and skyline views.

The upper level shifts in orientation to enhance privacy and create a rooftop terrace, while the primary suite cantilevers over the garden below. Living spaces are conceived as a glass pavilion, maintaining a continuous visual axis from the entry water garden through to the pool and beyond.

Below grade, a full entertainment level includes a car gallery, bar, golf simulator, media lounge, gym, and wellness retreat. Throughout, Bardiglio marble, black basalt, quartzite, oak, and sandstone create a material dialogue of weight and refinement.

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02/24/2026

Set within a lava field on the oceanfront of Hawai‘i’s Big Island, this residence is conceived as an extension of its elemental surroundings. Deep blues of the Pacific, vibrant tropical greens, and the blackness of volcanic rock form a dramatic natural palette—echoed throughout the architecture.

The design is anchored by thick lava stone walls that carve out a sequence of gardens and pavilions, organizing the home into public and private zones while allowing living spaces to “float” between them. Expansive glass walls pocket away, inviting cross ventilation and framing views of the ocean, Maui across the channel, and the volcanic landscape beyond.

Water moves throughout the property—cooling breezes, shaping the pool’s varied depths and islands, and reinforcing the connection between architecture and environment. Breezeways, tropical courtyards, and layered terraces create a rhythm of openness and shelter inspired by traditional Hawaiian dwellings.

Low, expansive, and grounded in materiality—lava stone, warm wood, glass, limestone, and travertine—the home is designed to feel inseparable from the land itself.

02/21/2026

Another addition to the Bird Streets, this is the fourth home we’ve designed on this ultra-exclusive cul-de-sac. Working with a compact lot and open views toward downtown Los Angeles, the design focused on maximizing light and skyline vistas while preserving privacy and meaningful outdoor space.

The natural slope allowed us to conceal a four-car tandem garage beneath the main level, lifting the living spaces above the street. From entry, a strong linear axis draws the eye toward the garden and pool beyond. The kitchen and dining areas open completely to the view, while a sculptural stair and two-story lightwell—framed by a floating stone fireplace—create a dramatic vertical connection through the home.

A linear courtyard with a vibrant green wall introduces daylight deep into the lower level, energizing the entertainment, gym, and wellness areas. A palette of warm woods, travertine, and marble softens the contemporary architecture, creating a residence that feels both refined and welcoming.

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02/19/2026

A new phase begins at this iconic Bel Air estate, also famously known as “The One.” From circulation and material expression to landscape and interiors, each layer is being carefully reconsidered to reflect a contemporary approach to living and entertaining.

Having been part of the original design team, we’re honored to guide this next evolution—expanding on the foundation of the past while refining it for the future.

More to come as the transformation continues.

02/18/2026

We’re honored to see Cordell II featured in Modern Luxury, highlighting the vision and ambition behind this West Hollywood residence created in collaboration with Grammy-nominated producer .alexander.

The article captures the essence of the project and our approach to contemporary living:

“There is a strong sense of structure and proportion, paired with warmth, light and openness.”

And in describing the firm’s signature language:

“Expansive glazing systems and a deliberate connection between interiors and surrounding views.”

Conceived as a vertical composition above the Sunset Strip, the home layers wellness, entertainment, and panoramic city views into a cohesive architectural experience—balancing bold expression with refinement and livability.

Thank you to for the feature and to .fridman & for there continued real estate collaboration.

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02/15/2026

Positioned on a prominent corner lot in the iconic Bird Streets, this residence rises above the street to capture panoramic views of the Los Angeles basin framed by surrounding ridgelines. Elevating the main living level allowed primary spaces to fully engage the skyline, while a series of skylight courts and light wells draw natural light deep into the lower floor.

Arrival unfolds through a minimalist metal screen and sculpted stone façade, leading across a bridge and entry courtyard that both shield the home from the street and introduce daylight below. A skylit stair anchors the vertical circulation, connecting upper and lower levels with clarity and light.

The upper floor is organized around a central garden and pool oriented toward the view. The primary suite sits along a clean axial path at the rear, while kitchen and family spaces capture southern light at the front. Below, an entertainment-focused level is framed by water-filled light wells, illuminating a lounge, bar, gym with plunge pool, wellness area, media room, and additional bedrooms—all grounded by a large garage integrated at street level.

White plaster volumes, blackened metal detailing, and expressive veined stone establish a disciplined modernist language, softened by warm wood ceilings and limestone floors. The result is a home that balances precision, light, and livability.

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Los Angeles, CA

Website

http://www.mccleandesign.com/en/projects

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