who we are
VINCE STROOP, AIA, NCARB
founding partner
Vince Stroop is an award-winning architect, designer, and photographer.
Prior to founding the stroop design studio, he served as Partner & Executive Design Director at the renowned New York firms of Jeffery Beers International and Stonehill Taylor and additionally held the role of Principal at BBGM and Partner & Co-Founder at A2 Studios.
Over the past 30 years, he sharpened his design expertise working across wineries, libraries, restaurants & bars, exhibitions, hotels & resorts, and all levels of residential developments.
He has directed projects for major hospitality brands including Raffles, Rosewood, Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, One&Only, IHG, NoMad Hotels, The Sydell Group, JLL, Chef Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park, and for several boutique ventures.
Always looking to explore creative outlets, he has led exhibition design for installations at Fuorisalone in Milan, Seattle Design Festival, Hotel Interiors Experience (HIX) in London, and an award-winning pop-up hotel concept featured during the Independent Hotel Conference in Amsterdam.
He has been a featured speaker and panelist at industry events, most notably for Architectural Digest, The New York Times, Design Milk, Apartment Therapy, and NPR.
He is a licensed architect in California, Washington, Oregon, Texas, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, & Georgia.
DAKOTA SMITH
director of creative strategy
Dakota is passionate about exploring the connections between creative industries and societal progression. He is interested in the psychology of space and the subconscious ways we react to the built and natural environment. He believes design can have a positive impact on society if done thoughtfully and responsibly.
He has spent the past 14 years exploring the nuances of visual expression in New York. Clients over the years include Roman & Williams, André Balazs, Chateau Marmont, The Mercer, Chiltern Firehouse, V Magazine, Condé Nast, Dazed Media, Vogue Italia, Universal Records, Interscope Records, Jeffrey Beers International and World Economic Forum. He was also a server at lots of restaurants back in the day.
Dakota graduated from Cornell University where he studied hotel development & design, art history, design theory, and social inequality.
MARK HINCHCLIFF
design director
Mark joins the stroop team offering 16 years of experience in a broad range of design fields including hospitality, luxury residential, and commercial work.
Mark shares a collegial history with the stroop team, completing multiple successful hotel projects over the years and worked directly with Vince as the project architect of a 400-room resort refurbishment project.
BEN FOX
designer
Ben is an architect, interior designer, and furniture maker with an innate interest in craftsmanship and thoughtful design. He graduated from Brown University with a BA in Architecture and continued his studies in the GSAPP program at Columbia University where he received his Master of Architecture degree.
During a summer intensive at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Maine, he advanced his furniture making skills and has since grown the eponymous furniture collection he began in 2017. Ben is passionate about creating bespoke, hand-made furniture and looks for ways to foster a deepening relationship between furniture making, architecture, and interior design.
KYLE BLUTE
designer
Kyle is an architect, artist, and designer. His work in architectural visualizations, jewelry, and print has been featured both nationally and internationally. He believes that a balanced approach to design & art is essential to maintaining a thriving creative ecosystem. It is his belief that design and art exist as essential functions of the world, and that through empathic, strategic, and daringly bold interventions we can re-shape a kinder & more sustainable world.
KARNA MONAGHAN
interior design stylist
Karna has an intuitive knack for composition, color, textiles, and furniture design. Karna’s success is built upon her impressive ability to source, collaborate, and curate disparate pieces into warm and welcoming collections. Styling and creating a room of significance is not one-stop shopping.
After graduating from Western Washington University in Interior Design, Karna spent 25-plus years honing her talents with Dania. While there, she was a buyer, a visual merchandiser, and a recognized high-earner on their sales team. Karna provides a range of services to private clients, from home décor and interior staging to hospitality and retail product sourcing and merchandising.
DEREK STRATTON
wellness consultant
Derek is a Master Trainer and Wellness Professional who has worked in the NYC wellness scene for over 10 years. From Box Gyms to Boutique Studios to Elite Clubs, Derek has been a part of shaping how wellness is done in New York. Derek has collaborated in designing, executing and rebranding spaces and programming for works outs, personal training and massage therapy. With a passion for being ahead of the curve, Derek always brings insight and instinct in to where the world of wellness is headed.