Toll Brothers has been creating luxury residential communities since 1967, and has become one of the largest residential builders in the United States. To make an impact in a red-hot Metro Boston housing market, Toll Brothers Apartment Living wanted to create an exceptional and unique experience for their new rental community. Knowing this development needed to have something more, they chose to seek out a different kind of design firm.

Toll’s plan – to develop regionally-themed properties that focus on the unique comforts and essential characteristics of a specific community – required that they find a design partner that could give each project a distinct and meaningful identity. For that, they hired Bergmeyer.

We began our work by exploring the differentiators of the Toll brand and defining what luxury meant to this market. In our efforts to understand the target market for this development, we combined demographic data with research on local employment markets. We collected images and touchstones on the essence of this place: its proximity to the headwaters of the Charles River, the strength of Needham’s social and cultural forces, and what drove the desirability of nearby neighborhoods. Emulating these touchpoints and synthesizing this data into a built environment required more than technical expertise – it required strategic design thinking.

The 390-unit building – known as The Kendrick – enhances familiar design elements inspired by New England tradition with a distinctly modern twist. The over 27,000 square feet of amenity space including a resident lounge, pub and game room, demonstration kitchen, media lounge, gym, fitness studio and dog spa has the feel of a boutique hotel. Outdoor amenity spaces feature a resort-style pool, two courtyards with outdoor grills and fire pits, a biergarten, and a roof deck from which the nearby river can be seen. Beyond designing the resident experiences from the front door to unit entry, Bergmeyer’s team also managed the selection and procurement of furniture, fixtures and art for all of the amenity spaces and model units.

The collaboration with Toll Brothers was a research-driven process resulting in an inspired new community. In addition to the development in Needham, Bergmeyer is working with Toll Brothers to enhance residential experiences in Atlanta, GA, Orange, CA, and State College, PA. Although each location will offer a distinct look and feel, these lifestyle communities will offer residents an unparalleled living experience with luxury amenities and exceptional client service consistent with the Toll Brothers’ experience.