Los Angeles has a new contender for its priciest condo: The Eterna Residence, a penthouse occupying the entire 41st floor of the north tower at Park Elm Residences at Century Plaza. This won’t be the first time Century City, on LA’s Westside, has become the talk of the town. In 1966, the iconic Century Plaza Hotel, now the Fairmont Century Plaza, made people gasp in awe. Think of its visual and architectural impact, envisioned by Minoru Yamasaki (the famed architect of the World Trade Center), who designed what was then the tallest building in Century City. “From its top, you can see the ocean!” people said in wonder. Standing as the only arched structure in the area, the building became an emblem of modernity and confidence. It also took on a symbolic role, often whispered about as the “White House of the West Coast,” as U.S. presidents regularly stayed there, hosting foreign dignitaries and international summits. Now the Park Elm towers rise behind the restored Fairmont, forming the residential centerpiece of the Reuben Brothers’ larger Century Plaza development.
On top of one of the towers stands Eterna, a roughly 8,600-square-foot residence conceived and decorated by Jordana Yechiel, director of residential design for Reuben Brothers. “I start a project by imagining a space the way a director might pre-imagine a film set,” says Jordana. “For this space and wonderful light, my movie was a love letter to Italy set in 1965–1975. Building on the terrazzo, the layers of lacquered walnut and travertine were the clean foundation for the geometric shapes, pops of color and unexpected whimsy and humor typical of the Italian postmodern design story.” The collaboration between Jordana Yechiel and Invisible Collection goes back several years, beginning when they worked hand in hand on the refurbishment of the Surrey Residences in Manhattan. “Working with Invisible Collection was a dream. As a designer who shares their taste, I truly love all their pieces. So many exceptional designers, with items ranging from the furniture to the dinnerware and soft furnishings—all on one invoice!” recounts Yechiel.
Eterna pairs panoramic views from Downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific with extensive entertaining and wellness amenities, including multiple terraces, a travertine-clad wet bar and a specially built wine cellar holding a collection of grands crus valued at $250,000. And the ultimate perk: a dedicated vertiport atop the south tower to connect residents with local airports by electric air taxi. But who would want to leave? The interiors are so utterly welcoming and gorgeous that one does not feel the need to go out. “I did not set out to design a penthouse. I wanted to create and curate a lifestyle with a past, present and future. Collections already collected, treasures already found from all corners of the globe, bespoke sheets tucked into the handmade mattresses, the wine collection curated,” recalls Jordana Yechiel.
Each space carries a distinct personality: bold and geometric in one living room, with brass accents, the M sofa, Pol armchairs and the bronze Yaba coffee table; sleek and sophisticated in another, with the sweeping lines of the Above the Clouds pair of sofas anchored by soft custom rugs and the pentagon coffee table. Accent chairs and stools, including the iconic Barth, dot the space. In the vast dining room, the striking Untitled T chandelier presides over a tribute to Brazilian modernism, with GS3 chairs and the Guanabara table.
“Art and design were integrated from the earliest floor plan stages, with sculptural plaster, gold leaf, midcentury Italian pieces, and vintage design pieces all considered part of the architecture rather than decoration,” Jordana Yechiel told Robb Report in an interview. “The design also includes a collaboration with Anat Ebgi Gallery in Los Angeles, bringing color, texture, and midcentury art into the residence.” Much like the furniture, the art on display also feels site-specific, woven into the narrative of the place, including the original, sculpture-like bas-reliefs by Belgian artist Katrien Van Der Schueren. Whether Eterna ultimately breaks a sales record almost feels beside the point. In a city that has made reinvention one of its defining arts, the residence offers something more elusive: a new interior that seems already to have a history. Suspended above Los Angeles, somewhere between heritage, memory and imagination, Eterna is not about the now, but instead embodies a world intended to last.
