Common Object Studio
Common Object Studio
Common Object Studio
Common Object Studio
Common Object Studio
Common Object Studio
Common Object Studio
Common Object Studio
Common Object Studio
Before they go too deep into form or function, industrial designers Fernando Ramirez and Justin Beitzel, the founders of Baltimore’s Common Object Studio, zoom out to situate a project within a larger social and environmental ecosystem. Take their Terra lounge chair, which leverages felled urban lumber, waste wool sourced from Pennsylvanian farmers and plant-based Mirum leather. Beitzel says their regenerative design philosophy is ultimately driven by the question, “If this thing fell off a truck, would the birds love it?”
The designs they showcased as members of Haworth’s DesignLab 2024 amplify this ethos; fabricated from local resources and engineered for easy disassembly, they are also impressive for their fun, playful personalities. Using mineral-based colourants, Common Object Studio enriches its Hempdrops stools with a soft ombré effect, while the leaf-like screens pop in hues like lime green and purple. The end results turn natural material textures and imperfections into core aspects of each design’s character, with no two iterations alike.
In the works are products that build upon this initial momentum. Strata, a quilt-like upholstery system developed in partnership with Public Thread, pairs upcycled textiles with bio-based and recycled foams. The Nodo stool is inspired by coral formations and features a 3D-printed lattice frame made from wood dust and corn-based composite and upholstered tubes filled with waste wool. The Vessel coasters are again made from regenerative Pennsylvanian wool, while the Everyday glass is produced by a Philadelphia hot shop using recycled glass.
Through its commitment to working with local farmers and manufacturers, as well as its dedication to giving new life to waste by-products, Common Object Studio is proving that the next generation of great design depends on engaging with what’s already here.
Team: Fernando Ramirez and Justin Beitzel
The Baltimore studio is proving that the next generation of great design depends on engaging with what’s already here.
