we are very serious people
VINCE STROOP
founding partner
Vince is an experienced designer and architect with a finger on the global pulse. He is always looking to integrate varied backgrounds and ways of thinking into his work to push the boundaries of design and bring a cultivated approach to every project.
In 2004, Vince co-founded A2 Studios, a boutique architecture firm in California. He later joined the renowned New York-based firms of Stonehill Taylor as Partner and Jeffery Beers International as Partner and Executive Design Director. In 2021, he founded stroop, a collaborative design studio based anywhere with good internet.
Vince has design expertise ranging across libraries, wineries, restaurants & bars, exhibitions, hotels & resorts, and all levels of residential projects. He designed for several boutique ventures and well-established brands including Raffles, Rosewood, Marriott, The Sydell Group, Hyatt, Hilton, One&Only, IHG and Chef Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park in New York.
He has been featured on design panels and has spoken at industry events, most notably for Fuorisalone, Architectural Digest, The New York Times, Design Milk, Apartment Therapy and NPR.
Vince is NCARB-certified and licensed in New York, California, Washington, Texas, and Massachusetts. He lives in Brooklyn and Seattle, where he bakes as often as possible to enjoy a creative endeavor with quick results and immediate satisfaction.
JENNY KIM
principal
Jenny Kim uses design to continually reshape perspectives. By grounding her work in a foundation of tradition, she then explores beyond those limits to create experiences that communicate singular, impressionable identities.
Jenny’s architectural career started in Milan in 2006, where she began working after graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design with a Bachelor of Fine Art and a Bachelor of Architecture. She absorbed the fashion and architectural inspiration of Milan and developed an appreciation for the European approach to a balanced life.
Upon returning to New York, Jenny gained vast experience as Senior Designer and Senior Associate with the prestigious firms of BBGM, Stonehill Taylor, and Jeffrey Beers International. She worked on projects for private residences, office spaces, and hospitality developments for clients including JW Marriott, Rosewood Hotels, InterContinental Hotels, Omni Hotels, Open Society Foundations, Turnberry, Sydell Group, and the TWA Hotel.
Looking to the future, Jenny is eager to investigate how human-centric design can enhance the social wellbeing of projects and help people become more connected to their environment and communities.
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.
KERRY CLERKIN
senior interior designer
Kerry is an artist and designer with degrees in Illustration and Interior Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and Ringling College of Art and Design in Florida. Her love for visual expression stems from a desire to explore and discover. With paint, she is drawn to the varying fluidity of watercolors and oils, with each medium taking on a life of its own. As a designer, she loves investigating the relationship between space and behavior and is fascinated by the impact thoughtful design can have on the way a person feels.
She has worked with design teams through all stages of the creative and construction process: programming, design development, documentation, FF&E specification, procurement, and contract administration. With a focus in hospitality design, she has completed work for boutique hotels, luxury resorts, retail, restaurants, bars, entertainment venues, and residential projects. She takes every opportunity to ensure each project considers the guest with an artful approach.
DER SEAN CHOU
senior interior designer
Der Sean is an interior designer with experience in hospitality and high-end residential design. He is also a professor at three prestigious design schools in New York: Pratt, Parsons, and the School of Visual Arts.
With a eye for precision and a background in film and IT, he has become an expert in the many digital creation programs used in the design process.
Working for brands including One&Only, Waldorf Astoria, Equinox, Atlantis, and Omni, he has developed agility working with rigorous brand standards to ensure flawless execution of each 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.
MARK HINCHCLIFF
project manager
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.
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.
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.