This intermediate school project demonstrates a thoughtful, large-scale flooring design that balances durability, creativity, and school identity. The scope included 1,489 square yards of carpet and 61,000 square feet of LVT, strategically selected to support both high-traffic demands and an engaging learning environment.
The carpet design played a key role in the overall aesthetic, incorporating multiple patterns and visual textures to add movement and interest throughout the space. Select carpet colors were custom-coordinated to match the school’s colors, reinforcing school pride while creating a cohesive, intentional look across classrooms and common areas.
LVT was used extensively to anchor the design with durability and warmth, providing a consistent foundation that complements the more expressive carpet elements. The combination of materials allowed for clear visual zoning, intuitive wayfinding, and long-term performance in a busy educational setting.
The result is a well-executed, design-forward flooring solution that enhances both the function and identity of the school, proving that large-scale educational projects can be both practical and visually impactful.
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.
