The Early Days: Mike Pearson and Architect Robert Byrd
A New Book About One of the Most Renown Architects in Los Angeles Credits Mike Pearson with Making His Vision a Reality

About Robert and Gary Byrd
Byrd Homes are archetypes of California living. While many people are familiar with the name and distinctive style of Robert Byrd (1904-1978), not much is known about his life, or the fact that his son, Gary, also designed and built homes. These homes have been news and noteworthy since the early 1940s, when a high-profile home purchased by French actress, Michéle Morgan, was attributed to Robert Byrd and featured in several celebrity and architectural magazines. Numerous celebrities have lived in a Byrd Home over the years, including award-winning actor/director Ron Howard; actress/ singer, Lizabeth Scott; and award-winning special make-up effects artist, Stan Winston. Audie Murphy, Daryl Dragon (The Captain & Tennille), Robert Taylor and Kelly Osbourne have also been mentioned in the mix.Although Robert Byrd had a long and distinguished career as an architect of quality homes in Southern California, he was not a licensed architect (AIA). As a building designer, he built homes from the 1920s through the 1970s, while his son, Gary, built homes from the 1960s to the early 2000s. They worked together as a team for over twenty years. Many elements of a Byrd Home, such as exposed wood beams, turned posts, rock and flagstone finishes, and whimsical brickwork are familiar to those in Hollywood, Pacific Palisades and Beverly Hills. Byrd homes were built in the California Ranch style of architecture and featured natural materials that lent the homes a comfortable, symbiotic and timeless ambience. Other distinctive characteristics include round chimneys, curved walkways, indoor/outdoor grills, Dutch doors, custom woodwork, and stained-glass windows. Robert Byrd also designed and built furniture. Many of these custom pieces can still be found in his homes, like a dining room table and chairs, or a coffee table or bookcase.Byrd built most of his homes in Southern California. However, there are examples of Byrd homes built in several other states, including Alabama, Nevada, Oregon, Louisiana, Kansas and Oklahoma.A Byrd home evokes a feeling of comfort and warmth, of family, and of a long life well-lived. A Byrd home is a distinctive combination of timeliness and timelessness. When you enter a Byrd home, it always says “Welcome.” That is the enduring legacy of Robert and Gary Byrd.
From the Book –
“Mike Pearson was one of the Byrd’s main artisan team-members. One day he drove by Gary and Weir working at the construction site of a fantastic home in Encino. He approached them and asked if they needed any help. They hired him that day and for the next twenty-two years, Mike worked and learned under Gary Byrd and Weir…”



Architect Gary Byrd
Some of Mike’s earliest work was with Architect Gary Byrd, who challenged the typical application of stone and brick by adding complex curvilinear elements to masonry design. Whereas stone and brick were generally laid out in relatively simple horizontal and vertical patterns, Gary Bryd envisioned projects that contained few, if any straight lines. Mike’s work with this architect forced his crew to come up with new and original ways to realize what this architect developed in his renderings. All of this happened at a time before computer assisted drawing programs existed, and therefore, Mike and his crew were usually working from a general sketch, and it was up to them to improvise, and find a way to bring these complex projects to life. This early experience constructing projects for Gary developed a reputation for Mike’s crew as a group of highly specialized masonry artists, capable of building almost anything out of stone or brick.
Hardscape
Mike and his crew continued to hone their skills, becoming one of top companies called upon to install high-end residential masonry. As word of their collective talent spread, they were called upon to perform more and more specialized work, and continued to expand their services, in order to keep pace with the cutting edge designers working in Beverly Hills, Brentwood, West Hollywood, Malibu, and other upscale neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles. Soon Mike Pearson Construction was performing a range of services in-house that were often left to specialists: fireplaces and chimneys, decorative and architectural concrete, carved limestone, marble, and custom water features. Mike Pearson Construction became a group of masonry specialists, providing an ever widening range of highly custom masonry services.
Structural Masonry
As Mike’s company grew and perfected their skills as a crew of artisans in the field of custom hardscape, Mike began to focus on expanding the company’s services even further, by submitting bids and ultimately winning contracts for large, structural masonry projects. Soon Mike Pearson Construction grew to become what was essentially two companies under one roof, one performing residential and commercial masonry, and the other, structural concrete. His list of services grew to include grade beams, caissons, concrete lids, foundations, poured in place walls, structural decks, and all manner of structural concrete services. Mike became so well known to some clients as a structural concrete contractor that it sometimes came to a surprise to them that he installed marble, limestone, and other specialized masonry products. In fact, one of the unforeseen challenges Mike faced was that some of his clients never realized how broad his range of services actually were.
The People
Mike Pearson Construction has remained a tight knit, family run business for over thirty years. The focus of Mike Pearson Construction is clear to each and every employee: the work is what matters. Mike Pearson is, first and foremost, a crew of masons, with almost every single employee working in the field. Mike personally oversees every job, and continues to work with his crews in the field every day, continuing to train, continuing to teach, continuing to set the standard for Mike Pearson Construction. Mike Pearson is based on one simple principle: Work hard, and do the best work you possibly can. A lot of companies say that. We mean it.
