About us - New Jersey Architects | ThinkForm Architects

ThinkForm

The name ThinkForm is not only a nod to our process of thinking and forming, it is so much more than that. In our work, Thinking and Forming are two equally important complementary disciplines that are the heart of our process and designs and are critical to how we operate and conduct our business

MINDSETThinkForm has a deep-seated passion and talent for design, art, and creativity. We continually strive for beauty and artistry in everything we create.

THINKversatile

Since ThinkForm’s founding in 2011, we have imagined and realized thoughtful solutions for a myriad of sectors including healthcare, hospitality, education, financial, entertainment as well as Federal and State agencies.
THINKvalue

We are ever mindful of getting the most out of our clients’ allocated dollars. Our experience, aligned with our creative problem solving, allows us to add considerable value through ingenuity and design.
THINKculture

ThinkForm has created a vibrant and inclusive work environment — one that continues to attract talented, diverse, thinkers and problem-solvers.

PERFORMANCEUniting thought, together with form, to create exceptional, high-quality solutions to challenging problems – is what we do best.

It’s our belief that forming is the magnificent manifestation of shape, size, texture and orientation that brings all our thinking to life.

At ThinkForm, we form with purpose. We form with thought. We form with creativity. And we form with humanity in mind – always aspiring to connect viscerally with those who experience our designs.

MISSION

ThinkForm’s mission is to provide value through design to client’s with whom we have the opportunity to collaborate. We strive to provide design solutions that balance functionality, budget, and beauty to create sustainable and extraordinary places and objects.

ThinkForm achieves this mission by observing, listening, researching, collaborating, imagining, and articulating–THINKing and FORMing.

SYNERGYWhen Thinking and Forming are in sync, when these all-important aspects of the design and build process are congruous, the results are often awe-inspiring.

We are always mindful of doing good, and doing right by our clients, our employees — and the physical environment.
#ThinkGreaterGood.
What’s in a name? In this case, quite a lot.

THINKleadership

ThinkForm was founded with the belief that the human experience is enhanced by the thoughtfulness of “total environments” – an environment where the smallest object in a room purposefully enriches the interior design, architecture, landscape connection, overall master plan, and ultimately, the local and cultural context.

After 20 years of architectural and design experience, Russell DiNardo founded ThinkForm on March 8, 2011. After 30 years of architectural and design experience, Michael Crackel joined ThinkForm as Partner. Prior to ThinkForm, Russell and Michael collaborated in the office of Michael Graves. Since our founding we have established and maintained relationships with diverse clients representing multiple project types that include Healthcare, Government and Education.

RUSSELL DINARDO, AIA, NCARB, LEEDap

President & Founder

Russell DiNardo, AIA is a registered architect and certified interior designer with over 28 years’ experience, 11 of which were in the studio of world-renowned architect Michael Graves. Russell’s design career began in the United States Air Force which preceded his formal architectural training at the University of Cincinnati’s School of Design, Art, Architecture, and Planning, where he has taught as an Adjunct Professor of Architecture. Pursuing his childhood dream of combining his passion for art with that of helping others and making the world a better place, Russell has acquired a wide range of skills and interests that have allowed him to design and manage many domestic and international projects. These skills and interests have reinforced his passion and belief in a holistic approach to the built environment where he has led designs for architecture, urban design, interior design, landscape architecture, and furniture design.

Russell strongly believes in an integrated, collaborative approach to design. With a specialty in a wide variety of mixed-use projects, there is a convergence of building types in his work. As a Service-Disabled Veteran, Russell brings a unique perspective to the honor and privilege of contributing his knowledge and craft as an architect and designer to the healing environments of those who have sacrificed for the freedom and way of life here in the United States. Russell has completed a number of master plans and architectural works for many different entities, all of whom were seeking a strong sense of place achieved through design excellence. In addition to projects that have received design awards, Russell was recognized by the U.S. Small Business Administration as an emerging leader in recognition of his management and growth of ThinkForm.

MICHAEL CRACKEL, AIA, NCARB

Principal

Michael Crackel, AIA is a registered architect with over 38 years of architectural experience. He has worked on a variety of building types, including healthcare, hospitality, retail, mixed-use, commercial, government, to higher education and multi-family residential. Michael is driven by his passion for design and architecture and possesses a deep knowledge of construction and project management all while knowing how to ensure the project team’s goals and desires are exceeded.

Prior to beginning his architectural career, Michael served in the United States Army before attending Catholic University in Washington, D.C, and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. Michael coupled graduate studies with teaching between 1981 and 1983. Between 1984 and 2012, Michael served as a Principal with Michael Graves & Associates where he collaborated on international and national projects for over 25 years. His career with Michael Graves provided him with a wide range of design and management experience and is the basis of a strong foundation in the philosophy and pursuit of humanist design.

Michael joined ThinkForm in 2013, inspired by the firm’s mission of responsibly designing high-quality projects with recognition of an owner’s goals, their budget and their schedule. Michael is a firm believer that all design professionals and stakeholders seek good design, and collaborative participation in the design process typically results in rewarding solutions for all.

THINKexperience

It’s one thing to be passionate about design, but it’s quite another to be versed in the technical aspects of the built environment. Both are requisite to achieve design excellence.

Prior to ThinkForm, both Russell and Michael worked – and held prominent roles – at several high-profile architecture and design firms. It was during their years at these organizations that they honed their technical skills and their built-environment proficiency by continually solving complex challenges. See more here.