The Artist Who Faked Being A Billionaire To See NYC’s Most Exclusive Skyline Views

Manhattan has one of the most iconic skylines in the world, but the public can view it in all its glory only from three places. The Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, and ONE World Trade Center offer elevated views of the New York City skyline for the masses. All the other stunning city views are private privileges and are only available to those who own luxury penthouses.

Hungarian artist Andi Schmied knew this and decided to do something about it that sounds like something out of a Hollywood movie. Schmeid posed as an apartment-hunting Hungarian billionaire and gained access to and documented the views at over thirty of the city’s most exclusive high-rise properties. Her book, Private Views: A High-Rise Panorama of Manhattan, offers a stunning glimpse into Manhattan’s elite world.

With incredible pictures of the Manhattan skyline, Schmeid’s book also showcases the outlandish persuasion strategies real estate agents use at these costly properties. Posing as “Gabriella,” a filthy rich European socialite searching for the perfect NYC apartment, Schmeid photographed many properties on the southern end of Central Park along Billionaires’ Row.

How Schmeid pulled it off is almost as interesting as the book and photos. To pass as a convincing buyer, she enlisted a friend from Budapest to pose as her husband and invented a 21-month-old baby, a personal chef, and a personal assistant named “Coco.” She also burned through her entire allowance from a residency at Dumbo’s Triangle Arts Association on makeup, clothes, and manicures so she could look the part.

In a candid interview, Schmeid revealed that her biggest concern wasn't getting caught; it was not getting in. Surprisingly, none of the real estate agents requested a credit check or proof of net worth, allowing her to effortlessly secure tours of the luxurious penthouses. Schmeid is convinced that at such an elite level, financial vetting simply isn't a priority.

Her photographs were shot with an old-school Nikon F-601 camera; some could be used in brokers’ marketing campaigns. In an interview, Schmeid also had some surprising opinions. Despite the breathtaking views, she said many of the multi-million-dollar condos were dull and looked the same. She said the engineering that makes the towers so tall and thin means there’s little room for architectural experimentation. Realtors also struggled to outdo each other when selling the properties, usually referring to private restaurants. But even the most remarkable thing about the properties, according to Schmeid, was similar.

All the realtors talked about the properties having a golf simulator room, which Schmeid had never heard of before. She doesn’t have a problem with luxury living, but she expressed dismay with the purpose of these super-elite properties. “They’re investments, not really meant for living in,” Schmeid said. “They cast these huge shadows and block views—really change the skyline—just so they can stand empty.”

Only 1,000 editions of her book, Private Views, have been published, but Schmeid said the book had made waves in the real estate industry. She’s received about 60 emails from realtors, most of which were positive. 

Many of the realtors expressed concerns with the industry and were glad someone was addressing them. Others said they felt privileged to see the city’s skyline like this, and they felt others should see it, too. Not everyone gets an exclusive view of Manhattan’s incredible skyline, but Schmeid found a mischievous way to do it. The rest of us will have to settle with the Empire State Building’s Observatory deck unless we devise a similarly genius scheme.

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