Why you should experience Century City in Los Angeles, California.
Century City is a sophisticated enclave where West Los Angeles' corporate innovation, architectural ambition, entertainment heritage, and luxury culture converge into one of Southern California's most influential business districts.
Positioned between Beverly Hills, Westwood, and Cheviot Hills, striking office towers, luxury hotels, cultural institutions, and meticulously planned streets create a setting where commerce and design define the urban landscape. Fine dining, flagship retailers, contemporary public spaces, entertainment venues, and globally recognized businesses enrich the district while revealing why Century City remains one of Los Angeles' premier commercial centers. Landmark skyscrapers rise alongside landscaped plazas and pedestrian corridors, reflecting a master-planned environment that has continually adapted to the changing demands of finance, law, media, and technology. The result is an experience defined by architectural distinction, economic influence, and a district that continues shaping the future of West Los Angeles.
What you should know about Century City.
Century City is best known for occupying the former backlot of 20th Century Fox, whose expansive studio property was transformed after 1957 into a master-planned commercial district under the direction of developer William Zeckendorf and the Aluminum Company of America. Construction began in the early 1960s, introducing high-rise office towers, hotels, cultural facilities, and residential buildings that established one of Los Angeles' first purpose-built urban business centers outside Downtown. The district encompasses approximately 176 acres while remaining connected by Santa Monica Boulevard, Avenue of the Stars, Olympic Boulevard, and nearby Interstate 405, supporting headquarters for international law firms, financial institutions, entertainment companies, talent agencies, and technology businesses. Architectural landmarks by firms including Minoru Yamasaki, I. M. Pei, and Johnson Fain have continually reshaped the skyline, while ongoing redevelopment has introduced new mixed commercial complexes, sustainable office towers, hospitality projects, and public gathering spaces that reinforce Century City's regional importance. Planned development, architectural innovation, transportation accessibility, and corporate investment collectively define Century City's evolution into one of Southern California's foremost business districts.
Commercial prominence continues through Westfield Century City, the extensively redeveloped open-air shopping destination featuring more than 200 retailers, restaurants, entertainment venues, and landscaped gathering spaces that have redefined the district's retail environment since its major 2017 transformation. Cultural distinction remains anchored by the Annenberg Space for Photography, which from 2009 until 2020 presented internationally acclaimed exhibitions exploring documentary, artistic, and photojournalistic work while contributing significantly to Century City's cultural landscape. Urban identity finds its defining expression along Avenue of the Stars, where landmark office towers, luxury hotels, corporate headquarters, and public art establish the ceremonial spine of the district while illustrating the ambitious planning vision that guided Century City's original development. Together, these places demonstrate how architecture, commerce, and cultural investment have shaped Century City into one of Los Angeles' most recognizable urban centers.
How to fold Century City into your trip.
Century City is best experienced as a half-day exploration of modern architecture, luxury retail, and contemporary urban design.
Begin at Westfield Century City, where innovative retail design, public gathering spaces, and acclaimed dining establish the district's commercial foundation before the route transitions into its architectural core. Continue to the former Annenberg Space for Photography site, whose legacy of internationally recognized exhibitions broadens the experience while highlighting Century City's commitment to cultural programming within a business environment. Conclude along Avenue of the Stars, where celebrated skyscrapers, luxury hotels, public art, and landscaped boulevards provide a fitting finale celebrating the master-planned vision that continues defining Century City. The itinerary moves naturally from contemporary commerce through cultural legacy before concluding within the boulevard that best expresses the district's architectural identity.
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