From private yachts to luxury department stores, private collections to hotels around the world, the stunning sculptural works of Rob Baytor have graced some of the most exclusive and sophisticated environments across North America, South America, and Europe. But the Toronto- and Hamilton-based artist’s latest creative endeavour is landing a little closer to home, on Yonge Street, just north of Highway 7 – a spectacular centrepiece for the exquisite lobby at Westwood Gardens.

Public art has always been a key tenet at Collecdev, a way to create inspiring environments that employ people, to make them observe, think, and feel. Natascha Pieper, Collecdev’s VP of Sales and Marketing is responsible for commissioning the sculpture from Baytor, along with the landscape design team at Land Art Design, sums it up well, “Art enhances the community. It infuses an environment with dynamism and creativity. It engages people, ignites dialogue, and activates conversation. Public art introduces new perspectives to a wider audience beyond the walls of galleries or museums. It gives people immediate access to new ideas.” That’s exactly the role Pieper hopes the new sculpture will play at Westwood Gardens.

Natural Stone is inspired by nature’s raw and powerful beauty. Layers of crushed marble and limestone cover a base of steel and hydrocarbon polymer, refined and chiseled until they reflect the rough textures seen in the natural world. The entire piece is plated in a patented bronze metal, creating a lustrous surface that emits a warm glow.

Standing an impressive 8’, the sculpture plays with balance and scale in the hotel-inspired lobby, and acts as a peaceful presence. Like all of Baytor’s works, the piece is tactile and visceral, fluctuating between touch-of-the-hand to machine fabrication, challenging the viewer’s sensibilities and point of reference. Natural Stone is both abstract yet somehow also familiar, inviting residents and guests to stop and reflect with every encounter, each time discovering something new.

The lobby won’t be the only place set to inspire – the amenities at Westwood Gardens include a state-of-the-art tech lounge, rooftop terrace, an eighth-floor event space, a media room, two well-appointed fitness studios and dog washing stations. Whether in the public sphere of the amenity spaces, or the private sphere of the individual suites, the environments at Westwood Gardens are designed to encourage people to relax and linger, to engage and reflect, to interact with the community whenever and however they choose.

To learn more about Westwood Gardens and about Collecdev’s full portfolio of inspiring, engaging communities, register today.