Laurent
Breaking into Boston's suburban market, Laurent redefines elevated living through a "Choose Your Own Adventure" design philosophy that celebrates New England's natural character while fostering authentic community connections.
Related Work
Laurent represents a strategic expansion for Toll Brothers Apartment Living (TBAL) into the greater Boston suburban market, introducing an elevated residential experience to a developing area along the MBTA line. This sophisticated apartment community deliberately breaks away from the corporate, cookie-cutter developments that previously characterized the region, offering residents a more authentic and nature-connected living experience. Working alongside local partners, including Branding Iron and DiMella Shaffer, Bergmeyer developed a comprehensive approach that would appeal to graduate students, professors, and families alike. This demographic insight proved crucial to the project's ultimate success.
Our design philosophy centered on the concept of "Choose Your Own Adventure," drawing inspiration from the property's proximity to Fresh Pond and other outdoor recreation opportunities. The aesthetic pulls from an outdoor palette that celebrates the area's New England character, featuring jewel tones and luxurious fabrics balanced with neutrals and wood finishes. Custom wood screens in the entryway establish the branded aesthetic from first impression, while the interior design reflects a philosophy of self-expression and exploration through literature references, local art installations, and custom wallcoverings that speak to storytelling and narrative. The amenity spaces offer both communal gathering areas and intimate "alone together" settings for more introverted residents.
The amenity spaces support diverse lifestyle needs through varied furniture heights, ample circulation space, and frequent seating groupings that accommodate residents of all abilities. Beyond traditional fitness offerings, the design promotes holistic wellness by encouraging different hobbies and activities, while the Great Room's custom art installation—inspired by travel and the global backgrounds of residents—creates a focal point for community connection and cultural celebration.
The project successfully navigated significant challenges, including COVID-driven construction delays, with our all-local team proving invaluable in building trust and maintaining momentum. Regular meetings, afforded by everyone's local presence and existing relationships from previous projects, accelerated relationship-building and enabled quick responses to on-site adjustments. This collaborative approach ultimately created a highly successful partnership that resulted in strong leasing performance, demonstrating that thoughtful, locally informed design could compete effectively against conventional developments and introduce a new standard of residential design to the greater Boston suburban market.
Location
Cambridge, MA
Market
- Multifamily
Services
- Interior Design
- Placemaking
- Strategy
Tags
- Multifamily
- Hospitality
Collaborators
- DiMella Shaffer
- Peabody Office Furniture - Boston
- Branding Iron at Stantec
- BostonArt
- Landworks
Contractors
- Dellbrook
Photography
- Flaunt Boston


