Art Elevates the Toll Brothers City Living Experience

Last updated on October 29th, 2024

The entrance to every Toll Brothers City Living residence begins at street level. In a real sense, the lobby of these luxury urban condominium communities welcomes residents home before they arrive at their own front door. 

The right artwork in the building’s lobby and other shared spaces can help create a striking impression while cultivating an environment that feels both sophisticated and welcoming to residents and their guests. “Residents take ownership of the art in this entry space,” said Emily Santangelo, a New York-based art consultant who has assisted the Toll Brothers City Living team in sourcing and installing one-of-a-kind artwork in its urban properties. “The pieces become a part of their homes, as much so as the amenities and the condominiums themselves.”

Art selection begins very early in the planning process of a new Toll Brothers City Living community, sometimes even before breaking ground on the construction site. First and foremost, the team considers the intention behind the building: who is the architect, what is their distinct style, and what sort of aesthetic will be paramount throughout the property’s interior and exterior? Interior design choices and the neighborhood’s unique character also play a role. “Ultimately, the careful attention that the Toll Brothers City Living team puts into these decisions leads to their overall success,” said Santangelo.

The Toll Brothers City Living community, 121 East 22nd in New York City, is designed by OMA – the renowned contemporary architecture firm founded by Rem Koolhaas. The building’s mirrored exterior forms an L shape, with the two sides connected by interlocking triangular features. 

Such a striking design demanded an edgy, unexpected choice of art in the lobby entrance. Santangelo and the Toll Brothers team worked with artist Graham Caldwell, commissioning a hanging mirrored sculpture that complements the building’s architecture and futuristic aesthetic.

At 91 Leonard Street in Manhattan, the Toll Brothers City Living team took advantage of the building’s private open-air garden, working with a landscape architect and artist John Clement to create an abstract sculpture that rises out of a shallow infinity pool. The installation’s effect varies daily: at times, mist rises from the water, offering a zen ambiance. When the weather is sunny and clear, the pool is especially reflective. 

In the lobby, a 9-foot abstract painting by Cuban American artist Emilio Perez lends texture and interest to a backdrop of exposed brick.

The Toll Brothers City Living team conducts extensive demographic research on the area and its residents to strike the right design tone. Each property and neighborhood speaks to a distinct group of home buyers, and the art must resonate as well.

77 Charlton in Hudson Square, at the crossroads of iconic New York City neighborhoods Tribeca, Soho, and the West Village, appeals to millennial home buyers. As a first, the Toll Brothers City Living team commissioned a playful mural for the building’s indoor pool area. The piece “Pool Party” by Timothy Curtis has a street art-inspired feel. “Curtis noted that his intention was to capture the energy of Philadelphia public pools, and the realized work certainly lends a sense of vibrancy to the space,” said Santangelo.

With its exceptional attention to detail, Toll Brothers City Living is curating artful lobbies and shared spaces that add an extra element of luxury to its high-end communities. And with an ever-expanding demographic of young, urban home buyers, Toll Brothers City Living has been increasingly open to unique, out-of-the-box ideas. “Given the right environment and architecture, a mural on the exterior of a building, video installations, and even 3D experiences could be possibilities,” Santangelo shared. 

To explore city living at its finest, visit TollBrothersCityLiving.com.