The narrative revolves around a project by Andi Schmied and Daniel Rosenstein, where they pose as a billionaire couple to gain access to exclusive real estate in New York City. The goal is to photograph the luxurious views from these properties, which are often unavailable to the public. The duo uses the persona of Gabriella, a character created by Andi, to navigate the real estate market and gain access to high-end apartments.
The narrative highlights the stark contrast between the opulent lifestyle offered in these properties and the societal disparity in New York City. The apartments, many of which are empty or rented out, are described as "soulless" and "standardized," with similar floor plans and finishes. The project exposes the fact that these luxury buildings cast shadows over other parts of the city, depriving them of natural light.
The narrative ends with a reflection on the growing inequality in New York City, with the luxury buildings serving as a physical representation of the wealth gap. The project is described as a "Robin Hood" endeavor, as it brings attention to the views that are otherwise inaccessible to the public.
1. The text discusses a project where the author, posing as a billionaire, infiltrated New York's most exclusive properties. [Source: Document(page_content="00:00:00.00: As a real estate agent, you never really know who you’re dealing with. She could have been an actual billionaire. She could have been a scam artist, and I would never know the difference. This project is kind of like a Robin Hood project. I pretended to be a billionaire so I can get into the most exclusive apartments in New York.")]
2. The author spent three months in New York as part of an artist residency program. [Source: Document(page_content="My name is Andi Schmied, and in 2016, I spent three months in New York at an artist residency program.")]
3. The author chose 25 luxury towers for the project, with one penthouse costing $81 million. [Source: Document(page_content="I chose 25 buildings, high, which were luxury towers. Ninety-three stories above the city, this is what $81 million gets you: a full penthouse, 8,400 square feet with floor to ceiling views of a metropolis.")]
4. The project's goal was to show the best views that can be privately owned in New York. [Source: Document(page_content="My goal was really to show those views that are considered to be the best views you can privately own in New York.")]
5. The author had to maintain a specific persona to gain access to the properties. [Source: Document(page_content="I was really, really nervous at this very first viewing. The agent started to ask me if I have a chef, if I have a nanny, if we have a private chauffeur. So I just randomly answered yes and no. And all of these answers kind of became part of what Gabriella was.")]
6. The properties were filled with luxury amenities, such as a golf simulator room, a Michelin-starred private restaurant, a theater, a swimming pool, and an Equinox gym. [Source: Document(page_content="There are a few different types of agents. There are the ones who are very natural and just showing you, here is the kitchen, here is the bathroom, this is the price. And there is the complete other end of the spectrum. You will feel, Gabriella, it is like going on a journey from the sidewalks of 19th-century, old New York to the sidewalks of Florence.")]
7. The buildings were often empty and rented or owned by overseas and local people who kept them vacant for a number of years. [Source: Document(page_content="I was really, really nervous at this very first viewing. The agent started to ask me if I have a chef, if I have a nanny, if we have a private chauffeur. So I just randomly answered yes and no. And all of these answers kind of became part of what Gabriella was.")]
8. The author observed that the buildings cast shadows over other parts of the city, depriving them of sunlight. [Source: Document(page_content="One of the very big problems of these buildings, they are casting sometimes hundreds and hundreds of meters of shadows, for example, over Central Park or over other people’s up until then sunny living rooms, or just over the streets.")]
9. The author noted that the buildings were not only empty but also standardized, with similar floor plans and materials. [Source: Document(page_content="There’s really nothing that would make any of these buildings stand out, to be honest. But it’s not really surprising when you realize that it’s solely a form of investment, most of the cases.")]
10. The author concluded that the significant differences in society were reflected in the physical form of the city, with the ultra-luxury properties contributing to a growing inequality. [Source: Document(page_content="What I’ve learned from this project is really just how obscene differences are in society, I guess, and how this can translate into this very literal physical form in the city and how that is impacting everything around it.")]