In this episode of Yours for the Making, Robin Johnson speaks with Marina Dragomirova and Iain Howlett, founders of Studio Furthermore about their Moon Rock Project and the long road of material driven design. They explain how six years of experimentation led to an aluminium foam made from recycled car wheels and how that material became a cabinet unveiled in Miami that shocked audiences when opened.

The conversation covers material failure, foundry collaboration, storytelling in collectible design and the limits of photography in conveying physical work. Marina and Iain also discuss gallery relationships, sustainability futurism and their next chapter working with Japanese craftsmen on laminated plywood furniture. This episode offers a clear view of how new materials become meaningful objects through patience, research and conviction.

Key Topics Covered

1. The Moon Rock Project and aluminium foam development
2. Using recycled car wheels as raw material
3. Designing furniture through material research
4. Creating shock and transformation through form
5. Foundry collaboration and long term partnerships
6. Pushing thinness scale and structural limits
7. Art furniture fairs and collector audiences
8. Storytelling in collectible design
9. Sustainability futurism and science driven aesthetics
10. Working with galleries and curators
11. The limits of photography and the need for physical experience
12. New work with Japanese craftsmen and plywood furniture

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Yours for the Making with Robin Johnson is the podcast that celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of making. Hosted by Robin Johnson — founder of Johnson Bespoke and BBC presenter on The Travelling Auctioneers, The Restorers, Woodland Workshop — this podcast dives into the stories of makers from all walks of life. From woodworkers, metal fabricators, and chefs to artists, designers, and hobbyists, each episode offers real conversations with the people behind the things we love.

Whether you're a hands-on creative, aspiring artisan, or simply curious about how things are made, this podcast offers inspiration, insight, and practical wisdom. Expect behind-the-scenes stories, lessons in process and passion, and a celebration of the maker movement in all its forms.

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Key Moments:

00:00 Introducing Studio Furthermore and Moon Rock

03:58 The Miami cabinet and the shock reveal

07:01 Foundry collaboration and process control

13:11 Scaling up and thinking beyond furniture

20:38 Early ceramic foam experiments

35:10 RCA influence and material research

46:18 Storytelling and selling collectible design

1:01:19 Working with Japanese...