Editory

Réka Vikárius and Noémi Viski

How did this place come about and what made it different from the start?
N. V.: Editory is an exhibition and event space run by four of us: Lilla Gollob, Kitti Mayer, Réka Vikárius, and Noémi Viski, all of whom are design theorists and design managers. We first met years ago while working at the editorial office of a local magazine, where we quickly realized that we shared similar values regarding current issues in design and visual culture.

This led us to form a collective and create the persona of edit. Edit supports designers, creates publications, organizes collection launches, writes texts, and conducts research on design history.

It didn’t take long for edit to get a space of her own. In May 2025, at the invitation of Pigmenta Art Print Lab (a local print shop), we moved in next to their home in downtown Budapest.

Before we arrived, the space operated as a rentable co-working office. Since then, we have transformed it into an urban living room, a popular meeting point for the local design community. We organize exhibitions, magazine launches, collection debuts, fairs, and workshops. The space also serves as a pick-up point for high-quality art prints (made by our neighbours), and, at the same time, this is our office.

What part of the day, space, or creative process do those who work here enjoy the most?
N. V.: When we moved in, one of the first things we did was get a bench outside, next to our entrance, so we could enjoy our coffee breaks there. The bench was crafted for us by Hungarian designer Ádám Tóth (Malom Projekt). He arrived with the newly made bench straight from his workshop just one minute before our opening event began.

Since then, countless local residents have taken a moment to rest on this bench. It’s always exciting to watch from inside through the large storefront windows to see who stops by, why, and for how long.

Design is often associated with the whims of the middle and upper classes, yet it is far more complex than that. Design is present even in our most mundane everyday interactions.

The 8th district of Budapest is a high-density central area known for its dynamic mix of social and spatial diversity. We consider this bench a gateway between our space and the local community, between design masterpieces and real social needs.

If someone is coming in for the first time, what should they not miss?
N. V.: First, we would recommend taking a look at our current exhibition. Now, for example, visitors can explore the history of a Hungarian beauty brand called Fabulon from the 1970s. As curators of the show, we were curious to find out what kind of social context and design decisions allowed capitalist ambitions to emerge during Hungary’s socialist era. We analyzed a wide range of packaging designs, posters, and early merchandise objects.

Secondly, we suggest peeking through the glass door into the neighbouring space, Pigmenta, to catch a glimpse of the hustle and bustle and see how prints by Hungarian illustrators and photographers are created. Then come back and ask us which ones we have in stock. You will find the widest selection on our webshop for order, but we always keep some prints on hand that you can take home straight away.

And thirdly, do not miss the cat across the street. He usually sits in one of the first-floor windows and checks what’s going on with us. He is our biggest supporter.

What has been an interesting challenge that has made you rethink something about the project?
R.V.: As a grassroots initiative, one of the most interesting challenges has been learning how to make an independent cultural space sustainable without losing what makes it special.

Recently, we have been spending a lot of time applying for grants and exploring different ways to support our event space. Along the way, we have realized that long-term sustainability also depends on continuously growing and diversifying the community around us.

That has encouraged us to step outside our own bubble and connect with new audiences.

What influence, idea, or reference continues to shape the way you work today?
R.V.: A simple mantra has shaped the way we work from the very beginning: “The design scene is small, so we have to build it together.”

Hungary has a very talented design community across fashion, product, and graphic design, but still has a relatively small ecosystem with limited industry infrastructure. Many designers rely on small manufacturers, craftsmen, and specialized workshops to develop prototypes or produce limited editions, simply because large-scale production opportunities are scarce.

In this context, strong professional networks and spaces for collaboration become essential parts of the design ecosystem.

Whether we are writing articles, editing publications, curating exhibitions, or organizing events, we see all of these activities as ways of strengthening the design community.

Editory gives this idea a physical form: it’s a place where designers, makers, writers, and visitors can meet, exchange ideas, and start new collaborations. Ultimately, we hope that by creating these opportunities, we’re not only supporting individual projects but also contributing to a more connected design culture.

What place, project, or person has inspired you recently and why?
R.V.: Whenever I visit a new city, I’m always drawn to small cafés where you can browse niche, high-quality magazines alongside thoughtfully selected design objects.

On a recent trip to Lódz, locals recommended a tiny café called Kiosk, which immediately became one of my favourite spots. Housed in a former newspaper kiosk, it’s a charming little place where you can enjoy a great cup of coffee while lingering over an inspiring collection of magazines, independent publications, and objects.

I’d love to see our online print shop take on a physical form at Editory in the near future, surrounded by a carefully curated collection of publications and local design objects.

If your space could invite someone to collaborate for a day, who would it be and what would you do together?
R.V.: Although we’re united by a shared vision for Editory, each of us has our own area of interest and creative influences.

Kitti is passionate about Czech design, so she’d probably spend the day with Czech curator and journalist Eva Slunecková, dreaming up an unconventional project. Noémi has long admired the work of the BIO Ljubljana Design Biennial and would love to collaborate with the team on an issue-based pop-up exhibition at Editory.

Lilla is fascinated by the adaptive reuse of former industrial buildings, so she would likely join forces with the team behind the INOTA Festival to bring their unique blend of industrial heritage, contemporary art, and techno culture into Editory.

As for me, I’d invite photographer Szilveszter Makó. I’m particularly inspired by his campaign for ABODI, a fashion brand with Transylvanian roots. I’m drawn to the way he translates folklore and local traditions into a contemporary visual language. It would be exciting to bring that atmosphere into a site-specific installation at our space.

In a way, we’re already moving in this direction. At the end of September, we’ll launch the first edition of our new talk series, Design Diaries, inviting inspiring voices from across Central and Eastern Europe to share their perspectives on fashion, product design, graphic design, and urbanism.

Is there an object, corner or detail of the place that has a story that few people know?
R.V.: One of the defining elements of Editory is its pink linoleum floor. Last year, it became the starting point for one of our exhibitions exploring the cultural history of pink through the lens of design and object culture.

Titled As Long As It’s Pink, the exhibition examined how a single colour can carry radically different meanings: from gender stereotypes and consumer culture to feminism, queer identity, and nostalgia.

Through contemporary artworks, design objects, and everyday artefacts, we invited visitors to reconsider the cultural narratives attached to pink.

We never really tried to hide where the initial idea came from, but not everyone realizes that the exhibition was inspired by something as simple as the floor beneath our feet.

The project has since grown beyond Editory. We expanded it with new topics and works by artists and designers from Central and Eastern Europe, and presented the exhibition this May at Collegium Hungaricum Berlin.

We hope our pink floor will continue to inspire new ideas!

If this project were a city, a book, or a record, which would it be and why?
N. V.: We wouldn’t highlight a specific album; however, the record as a format quite accurately describes how we operate: there are a few “top hits” and audience favourites among our programs, and countless others that are also necessary for those standout hits to really shine.

Like on an album, the tone of voice, the visuality, and the promotion of our programs all play an important role. It’s all about creating a cohesive world.

And in the new season, everything starts again, with the same overall goal: to bring people together.

If Editory were a city, it would definitely be one where big-city vibes, constant buzz, and creative energies meet, perhaps Berlin or Amsterdam.