Some commercial flooring projects are measured in square feet. Others are measured in years.
For Coyle Contract and the Overture Center for the Arts in Madison, Wisconsin, the transformation of Overture’s flooring has been a multi-phase project that began in 2023 and has continued to evolve with each area of the building.
The latest chapter is the Rotunda.
This highly visible gathering space now features a custom two-pattern carpet installation incorporating nylon fiber made with recycled fishing nets. Bringing that design to life required collaboration between the Overture Center, Coyle Contract, Interface and, perhaps most importantly, the skilled installation crews who spent long hours carefully fitting the new flooring into one of the building’s most complex spaces.
A Flooring Partnership That Began in 2023
The Overture Center’s original carpeting was installed in 2004. After nearly two decades of heavy use and repeated cleaning, the carpet fibers had begun to break down, and stains were becoming increasingly difficult to remove.
In 2023, Overture began a phased flooring renovation, selecting Coyle Carpet One Floor & Home to help update some of the building’s most heavily traveled spaces.
The first phase covered approximately 15,000 square feet, including Gallery I, areas outside Overture Hall, Promenade Terrace, Promenade Lounge and Galleries II and III. Tile was also installed near concession areas, where spills and heavy traffic made a more durable flooring surface particularly useful.
Coyle Contract, the commercial sales and design division of Coyle Carpet One Floor & Home, worked with Interface to develop flooring solutions for the project.
The new flooring replaced traditional 12-foot-wide broadloom carpet with modular carpet tiles. That change brought a practical advantage to a busy public venue. If a localized area becomes stained or damaged, individual tiles can be replaced rather than removing an entire section of carpet.
The smaller format also reduces material waste during installation because fewer large sections need to be cut away.
The first phase was only the beginning.
For more background on the original project, Overture Center documented the 2023 flooring renovation and its first phase here.
Custom Carpet Design for the Overture Center Rotunda
The Rotunda is one of Overture Center’s most recognizable spaces, with distinctive architecture and a constant flow of visitors. It also takes a tremendous amount of use.
Events such as Kids in the Rotunda bring families into the space, while performances, community programs and everyday visitors keep people moving across the floor. Natural light filtering through the windows adds another consideration, gradually affecting the appearance of flooring over time.
When it was time to address the Rotunda, the goal wasn’t simply to replace the existing carpet. The space called for something with personality.
Coyle Contract President Darren Pavlik worked with Interface and the Overture Center team to explore a design that would complement the architecture while giving the Rotunda a more distinctive look.
The process began with 34 different pattern concepts.
Those concepts were narrowed down and refined as the team considered how each design would interact with the Rotunda’s wood, stone, architecture and abundant natural light.
Eventually, two complementary patterns emerged.
The final colorway was custom developed specifically for the Overture, creating a combination made for this space rather than pulled from a standard installation.
The result is a floor that can hold its own in a room designed to catch people’s attention.
Sustainable Flooring With a Different Story
The story behind the material is just as distinctive as the design.
The carpet’s nylon fiber incorporates material collected through Interface’s Net-Works program, which helps recover discarded fishing nets from coastal communities and return the nylon to the manufacturing cycle.
Material that might otherwise remain in the marine environment is given another purpose as part of a new flooring product designed for demanding commercial environments.
For Overture, that recycled material has become part of a floor built for thousands of visitors.
The use of modular carpet tile also continues an approach introduced during the earlier phases of the Overture project. If a particular area experiences localized wear or staining in the future, individual tiles can be replaced rather than removing an entire section of flooring.
It’s a practical solution for a building that sees as much activity as Overture Center.
The Installers Behind the Finished Floor
A project like this can look deceptively simple when it’s finished.
Standing in the completed Rotunda, the patterns flow across the floor and the individual carpet tiles become almost invisible as separate pieces. Getting to that point was anything but simple.
The Rotunda includes rounded steps, ledge seating, transitions and other architectural details that require precise field measurements, careful cuts and considerable attention to detail.
And because Overture Center is an active venue, the installation couldn’t simply shut down the space for an extended period.
The installation crews worked around Overture’s schedule, putting in early mornings, late nights and long days to keep the project moving while minimizing disruption to the building’s events and visitors.
Every part of the installation demanded care.
The two custom patterns had to be aligned throughout the Rotunda so the finished design would read as one continuous composition. Carpet tiles had to be carefully fitted around stairs, corners and architectural features. Rubber treads were installed on the steps, and protective metal trim was added in high-wear transition areas and around the ledge seating.
These are the details most visitors will never notice. And that’s a compliment.
When skilled installers do their job well, the finished floor looks effortless. The craftsmanship required to make it look that way is anything but.
Coyle Contract is proud to recognize the installation crews whose skill, patience and attention to detail turned the design on paper into the finished Rotunda floor. Their work was an essential part of this project, and the finished result reflects the expertise that goes into every cut, seam, transition and detail.
From a Flooring Replacement to a Long-Term Transformation
What began in 2023 as a practical need to replace aging carpet has grown into a multi-phase transformation of Overture Center’s flooring.
The early phases focused on durability, maintainability and updating heavily used areas throughout the building. The Rotunda presented an opportunity to take those same principles and combine them with a much more expressive design.
For Coyle Contract, the project has also been a long-term collaboration with the Overture Center, allowing the team to become familiar with the building and the unique demands of its many spaces.
The Rotunda brought everything together: custom design, innovative materials, modular flooring, detailed project planning and the craftsmanship of an experienced installation team.
The result is more than new commercial carpet.
It’s a floor designed around the way Overture is used, with modular construction for long-term maintenance, custom patterns created specifically for the space and nylon fiber incorporating recycled fishing-net material.
And it is a floor that will be experienced by the people who make Overture Center what it is.
Thousands of visitors will walk across it. Families will gather there. Performers and audiences will pass through it. Children will sit, play and explore during community programs.
Behind that finished floor is a project that began years ago, continued through multiple phases and required the talents of designers, manufacturers, project managers and installers working together.
The next time you’re at the Overture Center, take a moment to look down. There’s a lot of design, craftsmanship and history beneath your feet.
