Inspiration through material
Moon Rock, Studio Furthermore • © Studio Furthermore
In the creative effervescence of London, Studio Furthermore has established itself as a true laboratory of experimentation. Founded by Marina Dragomirova and Iain Howlett, the duo reinterprets traditional manufacturing processes to reveal new transformations. If ’furthermore’, which means both ’further’ and ’more’, sounds like a promise of space conquest, it is nevertheless in their Shoreditch workshop that these material alchemists push the boundaries of design.
Having met at the Royal College of Art, the young graduates founded Studio Furthermore in 2015, a space where experimentation takes precedence over established methods. Their dissident approach gave rise to ceramic foam, which brought them to the attention of the international scene. Inspired by mineral formations, this porous and light material is shaped by freezing some foam saturated with liquid ceramic or resin during firing. Its honeycomb structure, which is both airy and mineral, is evocative of lunar landscapes and their topography. The Tektites series, named after a famous family of meteorites, marks the culmination of this research. To develop the collection, the designers injected Parian ware, a biscuit-like porcelain that mimics marble, into spongy fabrics before firing them at 1200°C. The result seems to come straight from another world. The series of bowls appears to be sculpted in a hybrid material where the apparent fragility of the foam contrasts with the hardness of the ceramic.
’Exploring new material narratives to shape the stories of tomorrow.’ Studio Futhermore
Aiming for the infinite, the studio has intensified its approach with the Moon Rock series. Marina Dragomirova and Iain Howlett were originally looking to adapt their technique to larger-scale pieces. After numerous tests, they developed a metallic variation of ceramic foam, inspired by the geological formations that sculpt the planets, Moonstone. As with their previous work, the duo allows for the randomness and unforeseen reactions that shape the material. ’In traditional design, there is a tendency to want to control and perfect every aspect of production and the end result. But we seek to create by focusing on the process and the feeling. For us, the result is a consequence, not an expectation.’ However, the collection is not limited to a simple process, it is accompanied by a narrative, in which Studio Furthermore perceives craftsmanship as it will be in the near future. The designers imagine a time when the exploitation of lunar resources have become a reality and when exoplanetary materials have redefined our relationship to creation. Inspired by the increasing scarcity of Earth’s resources and the rarity of lunar rocks – only 382 kg have been brought back to Earth by space missions – Moon Rock is rooted in a vision at the crossroads of science fiction and anticipation. By preferring fully recycled aluminium for this series, the duo is also examining the role of design in a constantly evolving industrial landscape. Art thus becomes a speculative tool, a means of exploring the interactions between matter and regions. While their approach flirts with an odyssey, it is to better examine the limits of our rapidly changing world. •
