Known as "Hollywood’s A-List Architect," Paul McClean built his reputation crafting LA's most daring modern estates. These mega-mansions—usually found in the hills around Bel Air and Hollywood's Bird Streets—were often defined by record-shattering price tags, impossibly sleek glass lines, and over-the-top luxury features like helipads, bulletproof glass, an aerial bridge leading into the home or a skylit indoor subterranean swimming pool. His legendary megastructures have earned him a bonafide celebrity following that includes Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Calvin Klein, and the Winklevoss twins.
Occasionally, the acclaimed architect extends that signature spectacle to other coastal enclaves. A favorite canvas of his lies just south in Orange County, where dramatic oceanfront backdrops lend a perfect stage for his master creations.
Case in point: one of his latest residential monuments is a $57.5 million privately gated showplace perched along the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach, recently listed by Newport Beach-based Tim Smith. The 12,749-square-foot compound takes its position on nearly 100 feet of prime Newport Channel frontage, bringing "views of the water, passing yachts and sailboats, evening lights, Saddleback Mountain, Lido Isle and the towers of Newport Center and Fashion Island," says Smith.
The residence was completed in 2023 and brought to life by McClean, Gallo Builders and interior designer Lynda Murray. Smith calls it "an architecturally unparalleled collage of glass, marble, metal and wood." Italian veined white marble cladding and custom rain glass offer a tease of the architecture within. Beyond the entrance gate, a garden complements a glass bridge that leads the way to a pivoting glass front door. Smith further paint the picture: "Channel views are enjoyed from the moment the gate opens and continue throughout."
The three-level layout offers six en suite bedrooms and seven-and-one-half-baths, connected by both a custom elevator and a floating spiral staircase finished with mirror-polished rails. At the main level, the great room features a see-through fireplace and nearly 50-foot-long Swiss Sky-Frame glass pocket doors that disappear completely, effortlessly blending indoor living with a sprawling bayfront terrace. Culinary spaces are doubled for discreet entertaining, featuring both front and service kitchens equipped with custom Poliform Italian cabinetry and Miele, Sub-Zero, and Liebherr appliances. Oenophiles are catered to with a walk-in 750-bottle wine room alongside a 192-bottle temperature-controlled wine display wall.
True to McClean’s signature flair for subterranean sanctuary space, the lower level is dedicated to total indulgence. Illuminated by light filtering through the waters of the glass-bottomed pool structure, this level hosts a private lounge with a full bar, a state-of-the-art cinema complete with a fiber-optic starry-night ceiling and concession stand, and a dedicated virtual reality racing simulator.
A professional-grade gym outfitted with Rogue equipment and Spanish Pavi Gym rubber flooring anchors a private wellness retreat featuring a massage and meditation room, light-therapy room, steam shower, and a traditional sauna.
The home’s crown jewel sits at the very top. A massive 3,200-square-foot rooftop terrace offers 360-degree panoramas.The sky deck features a second swimming pool, an outdoor kitchen equipped with a pizza oven and grill, and a dining island with seating for 10. “With its stunning waterfront views, impressive proportions, and curated selection of custom amenities, this contemporary showplace is among the finest residences in Newport Beach,” Smith sums up.
Capping off the ultimate California harbor lifestyle, the estate includes a private deep-water dock capable of mooring multiple vessels, a subterranean four-car garage with a hydraulic lift door, and smart-home technology integrated throughout.
To see a visual walkthrough of this McClean masterpiece, watch the video.
View the complete listing by Tim Smith of Coldwell Banker Realty in Newport Beach.
