HELLO
We Are Fernando Ramirez & Justin Beitzel
Co-founders, designers, and explorers of Common Object Studio. At our core, we are industrial designers, but our diverse backgrounds in environmental design (Fernando) and engineering (Justin) drive us to think beyond the traditional process.
We are passionate about helping companies take steps toward sustainable solutions that consider both people and the planet, all while injecting fun along the way.
we get to the root
We understand that good design embraces complexity, and from it creates clarity. As a practice, we approach that challenge by prioritizing the human-centered design process and climate-positive regenerative design, bringing to life multidisciplinary solutions that move beyond the neutrality of sustainability toward continuous commitment to progressive, measurable environmental and social impact.
Our modalities span environmental, spatial, industrial, and product design; research, design thinking, development, strategy, and prototyping; community engagement, facilitation and workshops; agricultural insights-based materials innovation and supply-chain management; and holistic regenerative design systems, practices, and production.
regenerative design
The goal of regenerative design is to move beyond sustainability (or neutrality) to establish active, manageable, carbon-positive relationships to people and our shared planet. Our work considers this process holistically, beyond just counting carbon. We employ revolutionized systems-thinking, engaging with how products and companies influence every aspect of our ecosystem; and establish processes and solutions that enable industrial-scale, ongoing commitments to create and measure environmental and social impact – from the farms of production to the common objects that surround us.
Our process
Step 1: Research, Observe, Co-create.
We approach design by establishing empathy. This begins with an emphasis on co-creation as a way to engage a community around a project, and to clarify the needs and desires of every stakeholder, from creator to user. Through methodological first-hand and secondary research, we then synthesize findings into a north star. this step is crucial to setting up PARAMETERS for a sustainable project.
Step 2: ideate, prototype, experience.
We view exploration as a conversation. From napkin sketches to agricultural site visits to fully rendered products, our ideation phase makes space for pushing boundaries, asking questions, investigating the roots of the problem, prototyping and modeling, and fully engaging our stakeholders through the process to ensure our solutions adhere to a standard of holistic benefit.
Step 3: refine, test, scale
We thrive in the moments when design intent meets real-world constraints. Our process inherently sees manufacturing and implementation as key elements in creating successful designs, and we're able to enter the final stages of each project with a thorough understanding and anticipation of all aspects of creation. Details are just as important as our original north star, and our commitment to the wellbeing of people and planet.
