Stamen was founded by Eric Rodenbeck in 2001. In 2003 Michal Migurski joined the studio, and Shawn Allen became our third partner in 2006. Since then, the studio has grown to a staff of nine, and has established a reputation for its expertise in creating compelling interactive design and data visualization projects.
We are proud of our cooperative relationship with a surprising and growing range of clients: financial institutions, artists and architects, car manufacturers, design agencies, museums, technology firms, political action committes, and universities. Our favorite engagements have lasted over many years, and we delight in exceeding expectations and delving deep into what our clients value most. The studio’s portfolio is not easy to classify, but is characterized by a loving engagement with the media we are working with and a deep involvement with our collaborators.
At Stamen’s core is a commitment to extending our understanding through research projects. Our client work is full of opportunity for invention and discovery, and suggests inspirations beyond the immediate task at hand. Stamen’s close engagement with technology leads us to explore numerous research projects, which have a way of finding applications in the real world. We are neither a research and development lab, nor a straight up design firm. Stamen is something in between and among and around these things: a place where work is valued, where good ideas can come from anywhere, and results are paramount.
We work in San Francisco’s Mission District, above a grocery store in an old carpet factory at the corner of 16th and Mission Streets. The studio is a space full of plants, music, books, and laughter.