Ida Stople

I am a Norwegian architect, passionate about design and urbanism. My dream is to create livable and sustainable cities for future generations – and that is exactly what I am doing. I am the creative leader of Dark, an architectural office in Oslo, Norway. I work as a project leader for competitions and early design phases creating ideas and working strategic with our built environment. Oslo is one of the fastest growing cities in Europe which is reflected in the building industry. Norway is in position to invest in the future right now; they have the resources and there is a need for change. That is an interesting place to be as an architect. It’s meaningful for me to be part of shaping this Northern city.

Before Oslo, I was working and studying in the Netherlands, where I attended the Amsterdam Academie van Bouwkunst. After graduation, I worked several years in OMA. I also have a background within landscape architecture. I believe the ability to switch between scales is the key to good design. My Dutch experience was a tremendous contribution to my career. Now, I have decided to go back – this time to THNK. In the Netherlands, I learned to ask fundamental questions. I experienced how liberating it is to question the norm; experimenting with new solutions according to changing requirements and context.

Even though I attack all design problems, my speciality is complex buildings in urban environment. In my Oslo Office Dark and OMA, I have participated in (and won!) several international competitions which now are projects about to be built.

My goal is to develop further as a creative leader – engage everyone in the team to contribute even more they knew they could.