The Center City Courtyard project showcases a masterclass in strategic flooring design, achieving exceptional aesthetics and performance while maximizing the client’s budget. By pairing standard LVT directly over concrete subfloors with a premium LVT incorporating an acoustical backing, the team delivered a sophisticated look that balanced durability, sound mitigation, and cost efficiency. This hybrid approach allowed for targeted investment where it provided the greatest functional return—significantly reducing sound transmission in key areas without compromising overall design cohesion.
To elevate the visual impact of the common spaces, the corridors were finished with J&J Kinetex in a vibrant, engaging pattern that brings energy and movement to the project’s circulation paths. High‑traffic zones and restrooms feature Daltile ceramic for long‑term resilience, while polished concrete and Roppe wall base and stair treads add a clean, contemporary finish throughout the interior. The result is a thoughtfully executed flooring package that marries value engineering with design innovation—delivering miles of durable, visually compelling surfaces that reflect a truly maximized budget without sacrificing style.
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.
