Elisabeth Amble Tostrup, professor dr. ing. architect MNAL is Professor in Architecture and Architectural History at the Institute of Form, Theory and History, Oslo School of Architecture and Design.
She was educated at the Department of Architecture, Norwegian University of Science and Technology and was a practicing architect for many years during which she won prizes in several important architectural competitions in Norway.
In 1993 she won first prize in the essay competition on writing in architectural education organised by the European Association for Architectural Education (EAAE). Tostrup is also an experienced researcher and received her doctorate in 1996 for the thesis Architecture and Rhetoric: Text and Design in Architectural Competitions, Oslo 1939-1990 (London: Andreas Papadakis Publisher, 1999).
Her research interests lie within the field of architectural theory and more specifically on the historiography and rhetorics of modern architecture, especially from the point of view of architectural practice and the specific field of knowledge and skills involved in practising architecture.
Tostrup has held a number of academic appointments among which member of the board of Nordic Association of Architectural Research and of the editorial board of the Nordic Journal of Architectural Research.
She has published widely on Scandinavian 20th century architecture, and her book Norwegian Wood – the Thoughtful Architecture of Wenche Selmer was published by Princeton Architectural Press in 2006. Her exhibit based on the book has toured Europe and the North American continent since 2002.
Tostrup’s current research investigates the work of Arne Korsmo, influential Norwegian modernist architect and designer.