In August 2020, the Beverly Hills Courtyard in Los Angeles was officially completed. This marks the first project by MAD Architecture in the United States, led by Ma Yansong.
The project is situated in the heart of Beverly Hills at 8600 Welsh Avenue. Known globally as the most prestigious celebrity residential area, Beverly Hills features Wales Avenue as a major thoroughfare that connects key landmarks such as art galleries, luxury retail centers, upscale apartments, and high-end hotels.
The “Hill Courtyard” is a mixed-use development. The ground floor houses street-facing retail spaces, while 18 residential apartments rise above on a lush green platform. The stacked white facades, pointed roofs, and irregular windows create a dynamic composition of intersecting straight lines, mimicking the iconic mountain villas of Los Angeles. This design brings a small hillside village feel into an urban setting, evoking a playful, cartoon-like innocence with a touch of humor.
The building’s facade is adorned with abundant greenery. In drought-prone Southern California, native and drought-resistant plants such as cacti, succulents, and vines were selected to thrive with minimal watering and maintenance. These plants create a unique texture on the facade, bringing organic warmth to the otherwise pristine and orderly environment of Beverly Hills. Upon completion, the project became home to the largest green exterior wall in the United States.
Covering 4,460 square meters, the building includes commercial spaces, 2 single apartments, 8 family apartments, and 8 duplex units. MAD strives to balance privacy and community within this compact development. Unlike traditional apartment buildings, each unit has its own private entrance. Reflecting the local residential style, most units resemble “small houses” with their own roofs, collectively forming a “small community.”
The communal area is a two-story courtyard enclosed by the white residential buildings. Every unit features a balcony facing the courtyard, carefully designed with attention to angles, distances, and the relationship to the courtyard’s greenery. This layout fosters elegant interactions among residents, balancing privacy with a sense of neighborliness.
Access to the main pedestrian entrance on the ground floor is from Stanley Road, just off Wales Avenue. A large opening in the building’s white facade creates a dim “cave-like” passage that leads inward. At the end, light and shadow dance, accompanied by the soothing sound of water. Stepping forward, the view opens up to reveal a connection between water features and the courtyard bathed in natural light. The courtyard frames the sky, with the lush second-floor garden and white, pointed rooftops resembling a hillside village. This space offers a tranquil escape from the urban hustle.
MAD aims to offer a sense of seclusion within urban living. The peaceful shared courtyard provides residents with a private outdoor space, breaking away from the typical boxed-in city apartment. The flourishing plants allow residents to enjoy a daily connection with nature, challenging the conventional image of dense urban housing.
Upon first visiting, I noticed that Los Angeles and Beverly Hills appear extremely modern and developed. However, the luxury and perceived high civilization often mask a sense of indifference and distance. The grand hillside homes symbolize social status and class, creating a disconnect between the city and nature. While the homes seem connected to nature, the reality is often a form of land appropriation.
I believe it’s better to let everyone in this development “live on the mountain” by directly integrating a hillside within an urban setting. Let half of this space belong to nature and the other half to the city. Different residents share a courtyard and experience nature daily, gradually forming a community or tribe. This project responds to the otherwise strict, orderly, and modern residential environment.
— Ma Yansong
Shortly before the project’s completion, Ma Yansong spoke with renowned American architectural critic Paul Goldberger. Regarding MAD’s first U.S. project, Goldberger commented:
As MAD’s first completed project in the United States, it effortlessly recalls Los Angeles’s classic housing landscape, featuring a series of white, small mountain walls and pointed roofs emerging from lush green hills—imbued with a sense of humor. Ma Yansong dances gracefully on the edge of tradition, appearing entirely different yet wonderfully connected to the surroundings. This bears resemblance to Gaudí’s apartments in Barcelona—both stand as visual exclamations within the urban fabric. Regardless of city or scale, Ma Yansong leads the way, cleverly channeling his influences into his unique architectural expression that brings relaxation, joy, and contemplation to people.
△ General layout plan
△ First floor plan
△ Second floor plan
△ Third floor plan
△ Fourth floor plan
△ Fifth floor plan
△ Facade rendering
△ Facade rendering
△ Section rendering
Project Information
Project Name: “Hill Courtyard”
Location: Los Angeles, USA
Year: 2013–2020
Type: Residential, Commercial
Site Area: 2,400 square meters
Building Area: 4,460 square meters
Building Height: 18 meters
Lead Partners: Ma Yansong, Party Masses, Yokosuke Hayano
Associate Partners: Flora Lee, Lu Junliang
Design Team: Li Guangchong, Jon Kontuly, Joanna Tan, Chris Hung-Yu Chen, Wenshan Xie, Cesar D Pena Del Rey, Jeffrey Miner
Owner: Palisades Capital Partners LLC
Collaborative Architect: Gruen Associates
Structural Engineer: John Labib + Associates (JLA)
MEP Engineer: Breen Engineering Inc
Landscape Architect: Gruen Associates
Interior Designer: Rottet Studio
Civil Engineer: Kimley Horn and Associates, Inc
Plant Wall Specialist: Seasons Landscape
General Contractor: DHC Builders, Inc
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