Artfully-Designed Lobbies

While it’s no secret that luxury real estate and the art world go hand-in-hand, some developers are taking their art world inspiration to a new level by infusing a gallery-like experience into their coveted condominium entrances. More museum than lobby, these spaces are designed to further attract art collectors and aficionados as well as extend a one-of-a-kind gallery-esque experience to all.

At black glass condominium skyscraper 685 First Avenue, Richard Meier & Partners Architects specifically created a soaring lobby with double-height ceilings, abundance of natural light and striking travertine walls to draw attention to the main focal point — a Joan Miró triptych that once hung in the National Gallery. The expansive wall space and warm yet neutral tones direct residents’ attention to the massive work, which is part of developer Sheldon Solow’s personal collection.

Photo by Binyan Studios.

Photo by March Made for DDG.

Further Uptown at 180 East 88th Street, developer and designer DDG partnered with master plaster artisan Jan Hooss to create a custom installation for the building’s gracious Gaudi-inspired lobby. Hanging above a communal fireplace, the piece commands the attention of all that enter, while providing a connection to the building’s pre-war inspired aesthetic. It also extends the building’s art-focused design, which includes picture rails, like those at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, installed in every home.

Four Seasons Hotel & Private Residences, One Dalton Street, Boston, the tallest residential towers in all of Boston and New England, has tapped Boston-based art consultant Kate Chertavian to curate the development’s art collection. The pieces Chertavian selects will be on display in the building’s lobby, as well as in the hotel and residential lounges and common spaces. A number of artists and pieces have already been selected, including works by Yinka Shonibare, Duke Riley, and Tacita Dean. Chertavian rounds out One Dalton’s “dream team” of visionaries, which also includes celebrated architect Harry Cobb and world-renowned interior designer Thierry Despont.

From the moment residents enter 100 East 53rd Street — a soaring new modernist landmark in midtown Manhattan designed by Foster + Partners — they are welcomed into an art-rich space designed to make any collector swoon. Hardly surprising given the building’s developer, Aby Rosen, is one of the biggest art collectors in the country, the entrance is graced with an original, specially commissioned work by the contemporary artist Rachel Feinstein called “Panorama of New York.” The lobby also features a 1998 work by artist Bryan Hunt and an original painting by Federico de Francesco.

Photo by Bjorg Magnea.

Photo by Evan Joseph.

Residents of 70 Charlton are treated to a cultural experience upon arrival, greeted by a specially-commissioned sculptural mural by Malcolm Hill, a New York-based artist specializing in site-specific sculptural murals for both commercial retailers, restaurants and private residential clients. The sculptural mural is prominently on display along the main two-story lobby showcasing a white, swirling relief, one of the artist’s signature styles.

The lobby at Arte by Antonio Citterio in Surfside, Miami will feature a large wall installation of chromatic glass spheres by the renowned Icelandic-Danish artist, Olafur Eliasson. This piece adds to the extraordinary high caliber of artwork that will be on display in the building, which will also have on display an original “Art” sculpture by the late iconic pop artist Robert Indiana outside of the building.

Madison Square Park Tower, the tallest residential building between Midtown and Lower Manhattan, features a dramatic double-height lobby designed by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio. The preeminent London-based hospitality firm is known for its work on high-profile hotels and private clubs, including the decadent redesign of Annabel’s Terrace in London and the Soho Beach House in Miami Beach.

A multi-level library serves as an extension of the lobby and boasts two paintings by German artist Marcel Eichner, whose bold paintings feature a powerful abstract presence. Hand-selected by the developer, the large-scale works add dynamic splashes of color to the elegant room.