Niemeyer or postmodern arches? New Aesop shop in Duke of York Square by Snøhetta

Snøhetta is an integrated architecture, landscape, and interior design company based in Oslo, Norway, and New York City, formed in 1989 and led by principals Craig Dykers and Kjetil Thorsen. The firm, founded in 1989, which is named after one of Norway's highest mountain peaks, has approximately 100 staff members working on projects around the world. The practice pursues a collaborative, transdisciplinary approach, with people from multiple professions working together to explore diverse perspectives on each project.

Snøhetta has completed several critically acclaimed cultural projects, including the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Egypt; the National Opera and Ballet in Oslo, Norway; and the Lillehammer Art Museum in Norway. Current projects include the National September 11 Memorial Museum Pavilion at the World Trade Center site in New York.

In 2004 Snøhetta received the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, and in 2009 the firm was honored with the Mies van der Rohe Award. Snøhetta is the only company to have twice won the World Architecture Award for best cultural building, in 2002 for the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and in 2008 for the National Opera and Ballet in Oslo.

Kjetil Trædal Thorsen (above left) is a multi-award-winning co-founder of the architectural and design firm Snøhetta. He is a visionary architect who has redefined the boundaries of contemporary design. Under his leadership, Snøhetta has created iconic structures that blend cutting-edge innovation with a deep sensitivity to culture and environment. Thorsen’s work is celebrated for its emphasis on social interaction, sustainability, and creating spaces that inspire and connect people. His groundbreaking approach has made him a leading figure in global architecture, shaping the future of how we experience the built environment.

Craig Dykers (above right)co-founded the architecture, landscape, and interior design company of Snøhetta, and he is Principal of the New York City office of the Norwegian-based firm. Snøhetta has developed a reputation for maintaining a strong relationship between landscape and architecture in all of its projects. His major projects include the design of Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Egypt, the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet in Oslo, the recently opened National September 11 Memorial Museum Pavilion at the former World Trade Center site and the redesign of Times Square in New York. Active professionally and academically, Craig has been a member of the Norwegian Architecture Association (NAL), the American Institute of Architects (AIA), and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in England. He has been the Diploma Adjudicator at the Architectural College in Oslo and has been a Distinguished Professor at City College in New York City. He has lectured extensively in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. In addition, Dykers has been commissioned to complete installation art projects in public spaces, many of which focused on the notion of context, nature and human nature.