About

Jim Venturi is the Founder and Prin­ci­pal Designer of ReThink Studio and ReThinkNYC. Through his expe­ri­ences in infor­ma­tion tech­nol­ogy, plan­ning, and archi­tec­ture, Venturi focuses on solv­ing the infra­struc­tural, social and eco­nomic chal­lenges of trans­porta­tion planning.

This holis­tic approach is reflected in both his work at ReThink Studio and his past work as a net­work archi­tect, bridg­ing ana­lyt­i­cal and cre­ative assets by build­ing early tech­nol­ogy net­works and devel­op­ing soft­ware. Since the launch of ReThinkNYC in 2014, Jim has been recognized as a thought-leader in the fields of transportation planning, innovative design, and entrepreneurship.

Venturi’s work expe­ri­ence in archi­tec­ture and urban plan­ning comes from work­ing with archi­tects in his early career and teach­ing archi­tec­ture stu­dents CAD soft­ware at Parsons School of Design.  He gained fur­ther expe­ri­ence more recently from the pro­duc­tion of Bob and Denise, a fea­ture film in post-pro­duc­tion about the renowned archi­tects Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown.

Venturi is the 2015 recip­i­ent of the James Parks Morton Promise for the Future Award, which was given in part to rec­og­nize the ReThinkNYC project.

Barry Caro joined ReThink Studio as a Political Strategist with a deep background in urban policy. He has served as chief policy advisor to mayoral candidates and various elected officials. Barry has also conducted independent research on the West Side Stadium project and the intersection of major urban redevelopment programs involving sports stadiums with underlying transportation infrastructure. Barry graduated from Princeton University with a Bachelor of Arts in History.

Cezar Nicolescu joined ReThink Studio as a Senior Urban Designer with demonstrated expertise in mobility planning, animation design, and art history. As an architectural designer, Cezar previously worked at Gachot Studios in New York, and Kilo Architectures in France and Morocco. He also worked as an archeological surveyor at the Villa Magna Archeological Excavation in Anagni, Italy.

Cezar graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) with a Bachelor of Architecture and a Bachelor of Fine Arts. He also attended the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation (GSAPP) at Columbia University where he earned a Master of Science in Architecture and Urban Design. Since then, Cezar has continued to take on a varied assortment of research projects at Columbia University.

Lane Rick joined ReThink Studio as a Senior Project Manager with strong experience in architectural design, communication strategy, and stakeholder engagement. She is a co-founder of a Brooklyn- and San Francisco-based studio, Office of Things. Lane also writes about and draws things and ideas she finds interesting, including Times Square, Chinatowns, and storefront churches. Lane’s drawings have been shown at galleries in Shanghai, Toronto, New York, and Atlanta.

Lane graduated from Yale University with a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture and a Master of Architecture. She is a registered architect in the State of New York.

Aurelie Barbier joined ReThink Studio as a Senior Urban Planner with over 13-years of professional experience in the field of planning. As a planner in Switzerland, Aurelie led various large-scale master plans for The World Bank and the French Development Agency (AFD) in European and Global South cities.

Aurelie graduated from the National School of Applied Sciences (INSA de Lyon) with a Master of Civil Engineering, and from INSA de Lyon-Urban Institute of the Middle East (IFPO) with a Master of Research in Urban Planning. Aurelie is also completing a Master of City & Regional Planning degree at Pratt Institute.

Daniel Roche joined ReThink Studio with a background in urban design, architecture, and journalism. Prior to joining ReThink, Daniel worked professionally for the Organization for Permanent Modernity in Brussels and as a project architect on a low-cost prototypical children’s library in Western Kenya. He was also part of a team that won a competition hosted by Volvo Buses in 2018 calling for innovative strategies for the company’s future.

Originally from Boston, Daniel graduated from an intensive Masters in Advanced Urban Design program at the Strelka Institute in Moscow, Russia.  As a student, Daniel contributed to several publications, including Princeton University’s Pidgin Journal and Rice University’s PLAT, and worked as an editor for non-profit journalism outfits including Archeworks in Chicago. 

Karim Ahmed joined ReThink Studio as a Feasibility Analyst with experience conducting detailed work on construction documents and shop drawings for various contractors and fabricators in New York. He has conducted architecture and urban design research in North Africa and Southern Europe, and also volunteers for an organization that provides aid to undocumented immigrants.

Karim graduated from The Cooper Union with a Bachelor of Architecture. He is a registered architect in the State of New York and a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).

Yubi Park joined ReThink Studio as a Designer with experience working for architecture offices and boutique studios in New York on various urban-scale projects. He has co-authored and published a research project on stormwater management and urban resiliency.

Yubi graduated from Pratt Institute with a Bachelor of Architecture.