The successful execution of this project required meticulous preparation and innovative solutions to ensure the highest quality installation across all finishes. The lobby walls, where Calacatta slabs, 48″ X 110″, were to be installed, demanded extensive surface preparation to achieve a flawless and lasting result. The existing granite walls had to be thoroughly ground down to remove surface irregularities and create a suitable substrate for proper adhesion. This crucial step was essential to guarantee the durability and precision of the new installation. The impressive 30-foot-high ceilings posed an additional challenge for which we needed to find a suitable solution. The substantial weight of the slabs necessitated the use of specialized equipment, specifically a scissor lift, to ensure precise placement and secure installation while maintaining the highest standards of safety and efficiency.
Additionally, large-scale floating was necessary throughout the project to achieve a uniform and level foundation for various flooring materials, including carpet, wood, and tile. In some areas, the floating process required an elevation adjustment of up to one inch across an expansive 17,000 square feet, ensuring that all flooring elements were installed seamlessly and met the highest standards of quality and craftsmanship.
These extensive preparatory measures were critical in overcoming site challenges, ensuring structural integrity, and delivering a refined and sophisticated final product.
Nancy Thiel, founder and principal of Thiel Architecture + Design, is a licensed architect and an interior designer. With 40+ years’ experience working with luminaries in the architecture world, including Michael Graves, Robert A.M. Stern, and Rockwell Group, where she served as a studio leader, Thiel’s extensive portfolio includes single-family homes and multi-story residences, hotels, restaurants, retail, fitness clubs, offices, theaters, schools and shopping centers. She is a member of the AIA, holds NCARB certification and is a LEED accredited professional. Prior to her career in architecture, Thiel was a dancer and choreographer.
Thiel Architecture + Design is an award-winning multi-disciplinary architecture, interior design, planning, and product design firm with offices in CT and NY. The firm’s work focuses on high-end residential design as well as hospitality, contract, and retail projects. Thiel Architecture + Design’s work has been featured in Interior Design, Architype, New York and Connecticut Cottages and Gardens, Connecticut Magazine, Archello, and Fast Company magazines. In 2022, the firm received a Connecticut AIA Excellence award for Interior Architecture. Thiel earned a BA from Penn State University and her Master of Architecture degree from Syracuse University.
