Cliff May Experimental House, Mid-century residence in Riviera Ranch, Los Angeles, United States
The Cliff May Experimental House is a 1950s residence in Riviera Ranch with a rectangular layout of about 1800 square feet. The central feature is a large open skylight that brings light and air throughout the structure and shapes the interior experience.
The house was built in the early 1950s as Cliff May's fourth family home. It received designation as a Los Angeles Historic Cultural Landmark in 2002 and underwent restoration in 2007 to meet current building codes.
The house shows the post-war philosophy of casual living, where movable walls let the family reshape rooms based on their needs. This flexible approach to space was revolutionary at the time and reflects how American homes changed in the 1950s.
The property sits behind locked gates on Old Ranch Road and is not freely accessible to the public. Visitors should check in advance how to arrange a visit, as access to the grounds is restricted.
The house served as a testing ground for Cliff May's architectural concepts before he designed his final family home, Mandalay. Many of his ideas about flexible space were tried here before appearing in his later projects.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
