Since 1994, Mud Australia has created elegant and timeless porcelain homewares. AU
The original Mud Australia store opened in Woollahra in 2007. Since then we’ve opened 12 stores globally.
Clare Kennedy, founder and director of Five Mile Radius, leads a studio committed to shaping a circular future for the built environment. Specialising in architecture and material consultancy, the studio uses natural and recycled materials to create projects that honour resource lifecycles.
Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s vision, Clare focuses on local, sustainable design, championing low-carbon materials and innovating within supply chains to decarbonise construction.
We sat down with Clare to ask her a few questions about her design process, the inspirations behind her work, and her favourite pieces from Mud.
Photography by Leif Prenzlau
Clare, can you tell us about your studio and the inspiration behind starting it?
Five Mile Radius is both an architecture studio and a furniture workshop. The idea came from seeing just how much material goes to waste—timber, concrete, stone—that could have another life if you approached it with a bit of creativity. A good example is our terrazzo furniture range. It’s made from wet-salvaged concrete and crushed construction waste, and it’s a reminder that even discarded materials can become something high-quality and beautiful. It’s all about making the most of what’s already around us.
How do you navigate the challenges of sourcing waste materials locally while maintaining design integrity and consistency?
Sourcing waste is like solving a puzzle—it’s challenging, but that’s part of the appeal. Take our terrazzo worktops, for example. The aggregates we use depend on what’s available locally at the time, so no two batches are exactly the same. To keep everything cohesive, we stick to key principles like durability, clean proportions, and craftsmanship. We’ve also built strong relationships with local suppliers, like timber recyclers and concrete pumpers, to keep things running smoothly and create a network that supports what we do.
Featured in Clare's Studio
Could you share a project or moment that you feel best encapsulates the values and mission of Five Mile Radius?
The Matso’s Brewery project is probably the best example of what we’re all about. It was a well-rounded project that brought together furniture and architecture using local and waste materials. It showed how circular design principles can work across scales, from the detail of a chair to the broader impact of a building. For us, it wasn’t just about delivering a project—it was about making a statement about what’s possible when you build with what you’ve got.
Lastly, do you have any favourite Mud Australia pieces?
Mud’s architectural lighting range is incredible—it’s the kind of thing every designer dreams of using in a project. But honestly, it’s not just their pieces we love—it’s the business itself. Their commitment to onshore production, handcrafting, and building something meaningful over time aligns so closely with how we think about design. If we had to pick a favourite, it wouldn’t be one piece—it would be Mud as a whole.
We are excited to launch our Zero-Waste Terrazzo Trivet Collection, inspired by founder Shelley Simpson’s commitment to innovative upcycling and waste reduction.
This collection marks our second collaboration with Five Mile Radius. We've once again partnered with them to creatively repurpose our broken ceramics, incorporating porcelain pieces into their upcycled concrete products. The result is a fresh, sustainable take on terrazzo that pushes the boundaries of both design and environmental responsibility.
Available in a choice of neutral yellow or vibrant multi-colours, each piece features a sustainable recycled felt backing and comes in three distinctive designs: small round, large round, and medium capsule.
Exclusively available at Mud retail stores across Australia.
