“What confuses me is he speaking of doing this within parts of the Novus Ordo mass?”
The New Mass, when issued, was understood to include ad orientem. http://atxcatholic.com/index.php/2016/03/popular-misconceptions-catholic-mass-part-ii-ad-orientem/#.V31yC7grLIU
However, GIRM 299 (as well as the USSCB Guidelines for church buildings Built of Living Stones which references this article) does state clearly that “[t]he altar should be built apart from the wall, in such a way that it is possible to walk around it easily and that Mass can be celebrated at it facing the people, which is desirable wherever possible.” emphasis mine