About
We begin with the end.™️
PROWL is an industrial design and research studio creating new solutions for people and the planet by employing materials, processes, and technology more responsibly. We are reorienting industrial design to achieve a regenerative future.
Regenerative design is our practice ⎯ it gives new life to Earth’s depleted resources as it benefits humankind.
Our approach to regenerative design is holistic, derived from a system-wide perspective that uncovers new solutions through knowledge-sharing across industries and distinct expertise. Instead of asking how we can do “less bad,” we ask how we can do “the most good”.
To that end, we begin with the end –– to fully understand what the next life of each product, material, or space we design could become. Because we expect an afterlife that gives equal weight to design and its regeneration.
We are committed to a holistic approach in everything we do. Our work is research-based, materials-focused, and fosters values-driven growth and tangible impact. We work with our clients to help them prioritize systemic goals, harness emerging trends and technologies, and realize their long-term vision.
Unburdened by aesthetic agendas, our solutions emerge organically in response to our client’s most critical questions. This approach has manifested in a variety of forms—products, interiors, environments, experiences, and strategies—across multiple industries.
Studio
We are extraordinarily excited to announce that we have moved into our new home at Building 12, which is part of the larger Pier 70 project in San Francisco’s Dogpatch neighborhood. This space includes an entire prototyping lab, micro material library, and other features that will enable us to do our best work and grow as a team.
As designers and future-formers of the physical world, it is essential for us to be present in a space that fosters the collaborative nature of our work.
Building 12 is a platform for makers, artisans and creative businesses all within a thriving multi-use historic structure that is immediately adjacent to Pier 70’s parks and open space, offering the opportunity to become part of a unique creative community unlike anywhere on the West Coast.
As a major shipbuilding hub in the 19th and 20th centuries, Building 12’s massive floorplates were designed to accommodate the huge fabric patterns used as templates for the steel hulls of ships. This project is an historic rehabilitation that has preserved much of the building’s integrity.
→Read more about the building HERE.
Advisors
Lewis Epstein - Founder and CEO of Lot21
After dedicating over 25 years to leading Steelcase brands, Lew is now focusing on advancing climate action. To that end –– Lew is a special advisor to the Foundation for Climate Restoration (F4CR); contributor to the Queens Climate Project: Compost Taskforce in New York; strategic advisor to Zauben, an eco-minded company committed to healthier living; board advisor to PROWL Studio; and Founder/CEO of Lot 21, a content platform and resource to help the design community decarbonize the world. Lot 21 is a non-profit, non-partisan 501(c)(3) organization, launching late summer 2023.
Lew serves on the Council of Design Museum Everywhere, is an IDSA member, and was selected to serve on IDSA’s jury from 2023-24 for the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA).
Kamran Arshad - Principal of Nonnom
Kamran is a multidisciplinary designer and strategist working at the nexus of space, culture and behavior. He believes that the carefully crafted and insight-driven workplace can itself serve as a platform for organizational transformation — responding to business needs, fostering innovation, building community and transmitting brand values — but more importantly, creating meaning.
Kate Judson - Director of Global Onboarding at Adobe
Kate is on a mission to make the experience of work more fulfilling, more equitable, and healthier—for people and the planet. As part of Adobe’s Employee Experience organization, Kate has led global workplace strategy and innovation, the future of work, and (now) onboarding for 10K+ new hires in 40+ countries each year. Prior to Adobe, she was on the strategy team at SYPartners, helping clients like Google, Starbucks, Facebook, IBM, Tory Burch, AARP, and Kaiser clarify their values, vision, and roadmap.
Professionally, Kate's happy place is at the intersection of psychology, business, and design. Personally, her happy place is being outside with her partner and two kiddos, playing tennis, and doing NYTimes crossword puzzles. She still regrets not pursuing a master's in industrial design, but working with PROWL is the next best thing.
Verda Alexander - Climate Designer
Verda’s work focuses on expanding the conversation around design, climate activism, social justice, and art. She is leading efforts at her firm and across the industry to put planet and people first in the design process.
Verda writes and speaks regularly on the future of work and climate activism. She co-hosts the podcast “Break Some Dishes,” that engages innovators from industry and design in conversations about meeting the challenges of climate change. She is an active member of XR SF Bay Area's Art Working Group and the Co-chair of the Climate Reality Project's Business Engagement Team. She recently joined the Diversity in Design Collaborative as co-chair of Awareness and Activation.
