Born in Indiana, Michael Ocean pursued his design studies at the Cooper Union School of Art based in New York. He inaugurated the multidisciplinary studio DWR in 2009. Along with Martin Snow, he was a pioneer of the “designer as author” concept, engaging in projects where the symbiosis between content and form was emphasized. In June 2021, he came on board as a partner at Fouroom's London branch.

Ocean's undertakings frequently involve the societal impact of design and the communal existence of the written language. At Fouroom , he heads a team creating books, periodicals, catalogues, identities, exhibits, and generating editorial endeavors.