This week’s Friday Five features Vince Stroop, a principal at New York-based Stonehill Taylor focusing on community-based hospitality design. His career began in finance but after a short spell decided design was where he was meant to be. After architecture school at Arizona State University, Stroop launched a boutique studio in 2004 with fellow graduates and designed libraries, private residences, wineries, an organic food market, and a church before landing in the hospitality world. That shift led him to New York more than a decade ago where he’s been involved in Stonehill Taylor’s high profile projects, including The Asbury beach hotel in Asbury Park, Moxy Times Square hotel, Eleven Madison Park’s fast casual restaurant, Made Nice, and most recently, the conceptual hotel brand, The Irus, which came about after Stroop’s team won the top prize for their culturally-blended sleeping pod. Keep reading to find out his five picks, which vary from a remote location to a classic timepiece. Photo by Vince Stroop
1. Glacier in Antarctica

In 2017, I traveled to Antarctica on board a research ship offered through National Geographic. I mainly did this as part of my travel goals to just tic the box of seeing all 7 Continents. What I did not expect however, was how breathtaking and inspirational this destination would become for me. Much of my daily life is spent in the planned, manufactured and overpopulated world of urbanity and by contrast it was impos...