Bel Air Mansion by McClean Design, A Monumental Residence Shaped by Landscape, Privacy, and Light

Date of Publishing: January 1, 2026

Architecture Design of Bel Air Mansion

Description About The Project

Bel Air Mansion by McClean Design is a 30,000-square-foot contemporary estate in Los Angeles, where cascading gardens, water features, and refined limestone architecture create a seamless dialogue between privacy, scale, and panoramic city views.

The Project “Bel Air Mansion” Information:

Project Name: Bel Air Mansion
Location: Los Angeles, California, United States
Project Year: 2018
Area: 30,000 SF
Designed by: McClean Design
Interior Design: Lynda Murray

A Carefully Positioned Estate in Bel Air

Located in the Westside of Los Angeles, Bel Air Mansion occupies a generous 51,417-square-foot lot, yet its placement close to the street is far from incidental. Geological conditions informed the decision to anchor the residence toward the front of the site, freeing the rear portion of the property to unfold into a vast, terraced garden landscape that descends toward the city views beyond.

Bel Air Mansion by McClean Design, A Monumental Residence Shaped by Landscape, Privacy, and Light

Designed by McClean Design, the three-story, 30,000-square-foot residence transforms its scale into an architectural advantage, using landscape, water, and spatial sequencing to create intimacy within grandeur.

“The goal was to choreograph a journey—from the street to the view—where architecture, landscape, and water work together as one experience,” Paul McClean tells Luxury Houses Magazine.

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An Arrival Sequence Defined by Water and Stone

Privacy is established from the very first moment of arrival. The entrance sequence begins at a circular motor court enclosed by stone walls at a lower level, shielding the home from the street and setting a contemplative tone.

From there, a stairway ascends toward the main living areas, guided by a dramatic 180-foot-long water wall—an architectural gesture that both directs movement and softens the scale of the estate. This linear water feature culminates at the main entry before continuing downward into a basement-level water garden, reinforcing continuity across levels.

“Water becomes a connective tissue in the project,” explains McClean. “It links the arrival, the gardens, and the lower levels in a way that feels calm and intentional.”

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A Main Level Oriented Toward View and Terrace

Inside, a double-height hallway draws the eye directly toward the city vista, acting as the spine of the main floor. This central axis separates the formal living room and library from the more relaxed kitchen, family, and kitchen spaces, ensuring clarity of circulation while maintaining openness.

Every principal room on this level opens onto expansive terraces, reinforcing McClean Design’s philosophy of indoor-outdoor living. The main-level infinity pool becomes a sculptural element, cascading visually and physically down toward the garden and motor court below.

“We wanted every major space to feel connected to the outdoors,” says McClean. “Terraces and views were treated as extensions of the rooms, not secondary elements.”

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Cascading Gardens and a Plinth-Like Landscape

The garden design plays a central architectural role. Partially set atop a plinth-like structure, the landscape steps downward in alignment with the home’s terraced geometry, creating layered outdoor spaces that feel both expansive and controlled.

This cascading arrangement allows daylight and greenery to penetrate deep into the residence, particularly at the basement level, where garden terraces blur the line between below-grade spaces and open-air living.

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Lower-Level Wellness and Entertainment

The lower level of Bel Air Mansion is conceived as a self-contained entertainment and wellness retreat. Here, additional bedrooms coexist with a full spa, private theater, bar, and generous entertainment areas—all oriented toward landscaped courtyards and water elements.

A ten-car garage is discreetly integrated into this level, preserving the calm, resort-like atmosphere that defines the home’s interior experience.

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Private Living Above the Landscape

On the upper level, a long north–south corridor connects the private quarters of the home. The primary suite, located at the southeastern corner, opens onto a private balcony that captures sweeping views of the city and landscape beyond. Three additional bedrooms complete the level, two of which share a balcony overlooking the gardens.

Bel Air Mansion by McClean Design A Monumental Residence Shaped by Landscape Privacy and Light 9

Crowning the residence is a roof deck designed for elevated entertaining, complete with a cabana, fire pit seating area, and bar—offering panoramic views that extend from the surrounding hills to the distant horizon.

“Even at this scale, the house was designed to feel livable,” McClean notes. “Maintaining a relaxed, almost casual atmosphere was just as important as the visual impact.”

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Materiality and Human Scale

Despite its substantial size, Bel Air Mansion achieves a sense of warmth through its carefully selected material palette. Extensive use of Caravela limestone, Mocha Cream limestone, and oak softens the architecture, lending the residence a refined yet approachable contemporary character.

These materials unify interior and exterior spaces, reinforcing visual continuity while grounding the home in tactile, natural finishes.

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A Signature McClean Design Statement

Bel Air Mansion stands as a compelling example of McClean Design’s mastery of large-scale residential architecture—where privacy, landscape, and experiential flow are given equal weight. Through precise siting, layered gardens, and a choreography of water and space, the residence transforms monumentality into measured elegance.

As featured by Luxury Houses Magazine, this Bel Air estate is not merely defined by its size, but by how thoughtfully it connects movement, material, and view into a cohesive architectural narrative.

Photo credit: Simon Berlyn | Source: McClean Design

For more information about this project; please contact the Architecture firm :
– Add: 391 S. Glassell St. Orange, CA 92866
– Tel: 714.505.0556
– Email: info@mccleandesign.com