¿Cómo nació este local y qué lo hizo diferente desde el principio?
Foam n’ Grind nació del deseo de crear un lugar donde las personas volvieran a ser lo más importante.

Desde el principio, más que una cafetería, imaginamos un punto de encuentro: un espacio para hacer una pausa, conectar, aprender y sentirse bienvenido. Lo que hizo diferente a Foam fue precisamente esa intención de construir comunidad antes que clientes.

También nació como un proyecto compartido entre tres personas con perspectivas muy distintas y complementarias. Caro aporta la organización, la estructura y una motivación constante por mejorar cada detalle. Emmanuel, desde su formación como diseñador industrial, ha contribuido a que el espacio sea funcional, cómodo y visualmente coherente. Y Karla, con su hospitalidad y amabilidad, le da sentido a todo el proyecto, recordándonos que la experiencia humana siempre está por encima de cualquier otra cosa.

¿Cuál ha sido un desafío interesante que los haya hecho replantearse algo sobre el proyecto?
Uno de los mayores aprendizajes ha sido entender que una cafetería no se construye únicamente a través de productos, sino a través de relaciones. Al inicio pensábamos mucho en lo que queríamos ofrecer; con el tiempo aprendimos que también era importante escuchar lo que sucedía a nuestro alrededor.

Eso nos llevó a abrir nuestras puertas a nuevas propuestas, a talleristas, artistas y emprendedores que están comenzando y que tienen algo significativo que compartir. Descubrimos que Foam n’ Grind podía convertirse en una plataforma para que otras personas encontraran un espacio donde mostrar sus ideas, conectar con una comunidad y crecer junto a ella.

¿Qué influencia, idea o referencia sigue guiando lo que hacen hoy?
Nos guía la idea de que siempre hay algo valioso que aprender de quienes nos rodean. Creemos que los espacios tienen la capacidad de conectar personas, conocimientos e historias que de otra forma quizás nunca se encontrarían.

Por eso nos gusta colaborar con proyectos emergentes, iniciativas con causa y personas que están construyendo algo desde la autenticidad. Nos inspira la creatividad, pero también el propósito detrás de ella.

¿Qué lugar, proyecto o persona los ha inspirado últimamente y por qué?
Nos inspiran las personas que se atreven a empezar. Artistas, talleristas, emprendedores y creadores que, aun sin tener una gran plataforma, desarrollan propuestas con significado y con la intención de generar un impacto positivo en quienes los rodean.

Ver cómo cada persona aporta algo distinto a su comunidad nos recuerda que los proyectos más valiosos suelen comenzar de manera sencilla, pero con mucha convicción.

Si su espacio pudiera invitar a alguien a colaborar por un día, ¿quién sería y qué harían juntos?
Nos encantaría colaborar con Carlos Iván Spíndola. Admiramos mucho la forma en que ha contribuido a difundir la belleza de la comunidad del café en México, visibilizando proyectos, personas e historias que hacen especial a esta industria.

Creemos que compartir nuestro espacio con uno de sus talleres sería una experiencia muy enriquecedora para nuestra comunidad. Más allá de aprender sobre café, sería una oportunidad para inspirar a quienes están comenzando sus propios proyectos, fortalecer conexiones entre personas con intereses similares y seguir construyendo una cultura cafetera más cercana y colaborativa.

En Foam valoramos profundamente el aprendizaje que surge de las experiencias compartidas, y sentimos que una colaboración así reflejaría perfectamente lo que buscamos fomentar: comunidad, inspiración y crecimiento mutuo.

¿Hay algún objeto, rincón o detalle del lugar que tenga una historia que pocos conocen?
Quizás el detalle más importante no es un objeto, sino la forma en que el espacio fue tomando personalidad. Foam es el resultado de las conversaciones, experiencias y habilidades de tres personas distintas que decidieron construir algo juntas.

Más que un lugar diseñado por una sola persona, Foam n’ Grind es la suma de tres formas distintas de entender cómo hacer sentir bienvenidos a los demás.

Carolina Mendoza Ríos
Cofundadora de Foam n’ Grind
Coffee Club
Puebla, México
instagram.com/foamngrind

La entrada Foam n’ Grind se publicó primero en ERRR MAGAZINE.

¿Cómo nació este proyecto y qué lo hizo diferente desde el principio?
GA_P Studio nace de dos filosofías de vida convergentes y complementarias de Alberto y Rodolfo, con un objetivo común y una misión clara: hacer arquitectura que nunca pase de moda. Lo hacen a través de un proceso específico basado en iteraciones en todas las etapas, investigación constante y una apertura permanente a aprender de otros profesionales para llegar al mejor diseño posible.

Lo que los hizo diferentes desde el inicio fue la mezcla entre un espíritu tradicional en una época tecnológica, junto con una energía fresca y jovial que lo contrasta y lo equilibra.

Una de las cuestiones más valiosas del estudio son los valores, el humanismo y la filosofía que ambos comparten. Más allá de la arquitectura, el estudio se construye sobre una manera particular de entender el mundo, donde los valores y la filosofía los llevan constantemente a pensar, examinar y razonar el funcionamiento, la visión, la misión y el sentido de lo que hacen.

¿Qué momento o parte del proceso disfrutan más quienes forman parte?
Lo que más disfrutan es el día a día: generar trabajo en un campo tan subjetivo como el diseño, donde conviven la seriedad y el rigor con lo divertido y creativo del proceso de inventar, recordar, pensar y crear.

Si alguien se suma por primera vez, ¿qué es lo que no debería perderse?
No debería perderse el enamoramiento de los detalles. Entrar a trabajar en un estudio es como subirse a una rueda de la fortuna a toda velocidad e intentar entender que, dentro del caos y la velocidad, la calma viene de reconocer que estás constantemente rodeado de infinitos detalles que hacen del trabajo algo profundamente disfrutable.

¿Cómo deciden dónde reunirse o cómo toma forma cada proceso?
Vivir rodeado de procesos de diseño en distintas etapas es como habitar simultáneamente diferentes momentos de la creación arquitectónica, desde la concepción de la idea hasta su construcción. Por ello, las reuniones suceden en distintos espacios según la fase del proyecto: muchas veces en el taller, otras en obra, donde las ideas se materializan.

¿Cuál ha sido un desafío interesante que los haya hecho replantearse algo sobre el proyecto?
Uno de los mayores desafíos ha sido entender que la arquitectura debe ser una de las profesiones más empáticas que existen. Es necesario comprender al cliente en profundidad: su pasado, su psicología y su personalidad, para poder traducir sus proyectos de vida en una manifestación tangible.

Esto ha llevado a replantearse el proceso de diseño, que a veces nace más desde la empatía y el entendimiento que desde la investigación o el impulso puramente creativo.

No hacen arquitectura desde una necesidad o lógica empresarial como enfoque principal, sino desde la pasión y una responsabilidad intrínseca hacia la disciplina. Existe una convicción profunda de contribuir a la creación de una arquitectura que trascienda el tiempo y aporte valor real a quienes la habitan.

Valores como la pasión, el liderazgo, la perseverancia, la actitud, la disciplina y la empatía son fundamentales en su manera de trabajar. Son principios que ayudan a quienes colaboran con el estudio a desarrollar su mejor versión y a construir proyectos verdaderamente trascendentes.

¿Qué influencia, idea o referencia sigue guiando lo que hacen hoy?
Los arquitectos del pasado y la arquitectura construida que ha demostrado funcionar siguen siendo su principal guía. En un contexto donde muchos miran hacia la innovación tecnológica como principal motor de cambio, ellos creen que la arquitectura debe seguir aprendiendo del pasado.

Las formas de habitar no cambian de manera radical, y las mejores ideas son aquellas que se construyen y perduran, mientras las generaciones posteriores trabajan por cuidarlas y mantenerlas.

¿Qué lugar, proyecto o persona los ha inspirado últimamente y por qué?
Peter Zumthor es una de las principales inspiraciones para ambos. Su manera de retratar la arquitectura desde una perspectiva profundamente humana y cotidiana hace que la disciplina se vuelva universal.

Todos habitamos espacios que nos marcan, y todos llevamos dentro una versión de nosotros mismos que, en el presente, es capaz de percibir esos pequeños detalles donde realmente ocurre la vida.

¿Si pudieran invitar a alguien a colaborar, con quién sería y qué harían?
Les encantaría diseñar el próximo restaurante de Lucho Martínez, cuyo trabajo culinario admiran profundamente. Ven la cocina como una disciplina hermana de la arquitectura, por la obsesión compartida por los detalles.

También les gustaría colaborar con Pedro Reyes, a quien admiran por su capacidad de conectar el modernismo mexicano con la esencia cultural del país, manteniendo viva la plasticidad del mundo mesoamericano.

¿Hay algún ritual o dinámica que defina la experiencia del proyecto?
Los diarios constantes que ambos llevan cada mañana. Son reflexiones personales que mezclan vida y proyectos, acompañadas de una disciplina estricta que resulta esencial tanto para el desarrollo del estudio como para el nivel de exigencia con el que trabajan.

Si este proyecto fuera una ciudad, un libro o un disco, ¿cuál sería y por qué?
Sería una ciudad.

Una ciudad construida con empatía: proyectos de urbanismo, paisaje, vivienda, cultura y transporte, pensados para mejorar la calidad de vida. Una ciudad hecha de arquitectura que no pasa de moda, con el objetivo de dejar una huella tangible y duradera en la memoria colectiva, haciendo el mundo más habitable y bello para quienes lo viven.

GA_P Studio
Mexico City + Mérida + Madrid
instagram.com/gap__studio

La entrada GA_P Studio se publicó primero en ERRR MAGAZINE.

What pieces or projects have you been working on lately?
I’m currently working on a liminal photography project titled Where Am I. It’s a series of photographs taken around my hometown at night, capturing everyday scenes that carry an eerie, unsettling atmosphere.

What did you learn (or unlearn) while working on it?
The biggest thing I learned while making these photographs is what I genuinely enjoy photographing and what I can see myself focusing on in the future. Taking pictures at night has been surprisingly therapeutic, and it’s helped me narrow in on the kind of work I want to be remembered for.

What words, ideas or emotions were running through your head?
The main emotion running through my head while making these photographs is anxiety. I tend to overthink whenever I’m out shooting, especially late at night by myself. There’s always a voice of self-doubt telling me not to go into certain places, not to stop for a photograph, or convincing me I’ll get into trouble if someone sees me.

The funny thing is that, after years of taking photographs, nobody has ever actually come up to me or said anything. Because of that, I’ve really embraced the idea of asking for forgiveness rather than permission. Most of the time, I’m the only person holding myself back.

Were there any conversations, movies, music, or books that made their way into that work?
I’ve done a lot of soul-searching recently and spent time watching interviews on Willem Verbeeck’s YouTube channel. The conversation that resonated with me most was his interview with Todd Hido. It really helped me focus on the direction I wanted this project to take.

What’s been the most difficult thing you’ve faced recently in your creative process?
Without a doubt, the weather here in upstate New York. We had a huge snowstorm, and it’s been unbearably cold. Finding the motivation to head out after working an eight-hour shift is difficult, but thankfully I’ve been feeling inspired lately and have been doing my best to keep creating.

What is your favorite restaurante and why do you like going there?
My favourite restaurant is Pura Vida Ville, a small family-run Mexican and Costa Rican restaurant here in Rochester, New York. I usually order the 12-inch burrito, but I highly recommend trying the birria tacos.

If your life were a movie this month, what would it be called and who would write the soundtrack?
The title would be Ice Age, simply because of how brutal the weather has been lately. The soundtrack would be by Nujabes, since, despite the cold, it’s actually been a pretty calm month.

Recommend one or more artists you follow who inspire you, and tell us what you like most about their work or their way of working.
It’s hard to choose because Instagram introduces me to so many incredible artists every day, but some of my favourites are Todd Hido, Briscoe Park, Oswaldo Cepeda, Jake Wagner, Austin Prendergast, JM Miller, and Tye Martinez.

Each of them has a completely unique visual language, but what they all share is the ability to make me feel something deeply through their work. Every time they post, I’m reminded of how much there still is to learn, and that motivates me to become a better photographer.

Riley Mousso
Grew up in Rochester, New York, and discovered photography during COVID as a form of escapism and a way to support his mental health. What began as a hobby has grown into a lifelong passion.
instagram.com/riley_moose

La entrada Where am I se publicó primero en ERRR MAGAZINE.

How did this place come about and what made it different from the start?
Studio 103 grew out of something practical that quickly became something much bigger. Máté was looking for an external venue for a concrete workshop course he teaches at the Budapest University of Technology, but the moment he stepped into the space, he knew he didn’t want to limit it to a handful of students.

What made it different from the beginning was its sense of openness and generosity. The opening test week offered free workshops, and the launch party attracted nearly 100 people. That energy, built through collaboration with around twenty companies contributing drinks, pastries and pizza, set the tone. It wasn’t simply a studio. It had already become a community before it officially opened.

What part of the day, space, or creative process do those who work here enjoy the most?
Sitting down with people, listening to each other’s stories, laughing throughout the creative process and building genuine connections. The social dimension, the conversations that happen while everyone’s hands are busy making something, is what seems to matter most.

If someone is coming in for the first time, what should they not miss?
Ceramics would be the obvious answer. It has been a favourite since the beginning and now runs twice a week with six different artists rotating through the programme. Linocut printing, spoon carving, felting and jewellery making are equally popular.

The monthly Taste of Well-being wine tasting is something genuinely unexpected. Led by a work psychologist and a WSET-certified wine expert, each session explores themes such as burnout, setting boundaries or renewal through the stories and character of different wines. It’s difficult to find that combination anywhere else.

What has been an interesting challenge that has made you rethink something about the project?
The financial reality became clear very early on. The rent alone exceeded the original budget before anything else had even been planned. Rather than increasing prices, which would have gone against the studio’s goal of making creativity accessible, Máté chose the opposite approach by increasing the number of weekly workshops from two or three to five or six.

The experience reinforced something he already believed: moving forward requires the courage to ask for help and to open yourself to others.

What influence, idea, or reference continues to shape the way you work today?
A year spent working in the film industry taught him, by contrast, exactly what he didn’t want: feeling creatively constrained, unable to grow and stuck.

That experience crystallised the principle that now defines Studio 103: don’t wait for opportunities, create them yourself. It’s reflected in everything the studio does, from the Art Exchange programme supporting emerging designers to its mentorship scheme, which helps young creatives develop ideas into prototypes.

What place, project, or person has inspired you recently and why?
Two things have been particularly inspiring recently.

The first is the possibility of moving into a larger space after the district council announced new commercial units for rent. A bigger studio would allow the open workshop concept to evolve even further, with dedicated ceramics, printmaking and woodworking studios operating simultaneously rather than on rotation. It would also create room for a Hungarian craft and design shop showcasing work by local makers, something that has long been part of the vision.

The second is the arrival of a Risograph machine. It has opened an entirely new range of creative possibilities through its distinctive visual language, approach to colour and texture, and strong connection to community print culture. It’s already inspiring new workshops and future collaborations.

Both developments feel less like finished achievements and more like open doors, which is perhaps exactly the kind of inspiration that defines Studio 103.

If your space could invite someone to collaborate for a day, who would it be and what would you do together?
Someone who is full of ideas and eager to build community but lacks the environment to make those ideas happen.

More concretely, universities and their graduating students. There are countless projects that don’t fit neatly into academic structures, ideas that formal education doesn’t always know how to support. A collaboration would create space for those projects to exist through workshops, experimental sessions and side projects that deserve to become reality.

Is there an object, corner or detail of the place that has a story that few people know?
One of the most personal objects in the studio is the SOL No. 2 lamp, designed by Máté and recognised with a Big See Award. The goldsmith who helped produce it now teaches workshops at Studio 103, turning a single collaboration into an ongoing creative relationship.

The studio’s name also has a hidden story. The number 103 isn’t a street address or a random choice. It was Máté’s admission number when he applied to MOME, the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design. The studio was originally imagined as his own private design practice, and that number still carries its origin story.

If this project were a city, a book, or a record, which would it be and why?
Budapest.

Layered, slightly unpredictable, constantly evolving and full of contrasts. It brings together history and new creative energy, and its most interesting moments often emerge from unexpected encounters: conversations that weren’t planned, techniques you’ve never tried before and people you would never have met otherwise.

Studio 103 hopes to be exactly that kind of place, where different disciplines, ideas and people can exist alongside one another and create something none of them could have made alone.

Máté Csapody
Founder of Studio 103
Community, architecture, workshop and creative space.
Budapest, Hungary
instagram.com/__studio103

La entrada Studio 103 se publicó primero en ERRR MAGAZINE.

What pieces or projects have you been working on lately?
I have been working on a project that began in 2012 called Pica. It merges drawing and graphic language with cyanotype across a variety of surfaces. In recent years, the work has become more painterly, more gestural, and through it I explore themes related to waiting and memory. I work extensively on paper, fabric and other materials, and have even created a 9 × 3 metre mural using this technique. Over the years, I have pushed a photographic process to an extreme level of experimentation.

My latest series represents a further evolution of my approach to cyanotype. It is the result of countless minutes spent waiting for the work to be exposed to UV light, years of observing how the iron-salt emulsion transforms into matter, and a bureaucratic limbo of waiting, suspension and disappointment. This combination created the conditions for something that exceeded every expectation, something necessary.

I spent a year in the studio working, experimenting and following certain “technical errors” within the process. The resulting images were not pre-designed. They emerged from my condition rather than from a desire to produce a specific image, allowing something to reveal itself instead. Each work is the trace of a temporal decision.

The work arises from a condition in which time, matter and reaction operate without a predetermined outcome. The image is what remains when this condition is interrupted out of necessity.

What did you learn (or unlearn) while working on it?
I often found myself immersed in a process where time, matter and reaction operated without a predetermined outcome. At a certain point, the need to interrupt that condition would emerge, and I would select an image precisely when it stopped becoming something else.

I learned when not to intervene. I learned how to stop time.

What words, ideas or emotions were running through your head?
There were many, but “beyond” was probably the word that stayed with me the most throughout the process.

I reflected deeply on my condition as a foreigner in Italy, despite having lived here for about twenty-five years, and on how my body becomes a political space limited by a document that is often withheld for years. Without it, you cannot participate in public calls or travel outside Italy. Perhaps this also pushed me to search for new spaces within this latest series of cyanotypes.

I also thought a great deal about John Herschel and experienced, in my own small way, the feeling of discovery. As an astronomer, Herschel spent his life observing the sky, and I never stopped imagining the nebulae he saw through his telescope.

Were there any conversations, movies, music, or books that made their way into that work?
I am very sensitive to what happens around me, and I had many conversations about my bureaucratic condition. I was born in Ecuador and have lived in Genoa since 2001. During the development of this series, I was invited to participate in an artist residency alongside three artists of different nationalities in the city where I live. The residency lasted one week and involved working with a museum that houses works from the seventeenth to the nineteenth century.

Genoa played a significant role in the so-called discovery of the Americas, and much of its historical wealth is connected to that event. The residency gave me the opportunity to reflect on why I am here in Europe and on the enormous quantities of gold and silver extracted from the Americas. During my research I also encountered world maps created before the Americas had been “discovered” by Europeans, and the imagined seas represented on them. These ideas also found their way into this body of work.

One of the films that stayed with me the most was Nostalghia by Andrei Tarkovsky, which I was fortunate enough to watch on film.

Musically, I listened to a great deal of radio, especially Ocora Musiques du Monde, as well as musique concrète, cumbia, salsa and an Afro-Indigenous album from the northwestern Andes of Ecuador called Juyungo. Music is always present while I work. I also share my studio with musician Tommaso Rolando, who runs the label Torto Editions.

Among the books that were especially important were Open Veins of Latin America by Eduardo Galeano, which I reread this year out of necessity, and Huasipungo by Jorge Icaza. I was also fascinated by the six-part series of articles published in The New York Sun in 1835, titled Great Astronomical Discoveries Lately Made by Sir John Herschel, later known as the Great Moon Hoax. All of these references contributed, in one way or another, to enriching the imaginary behind this new series.

What’s been the most difficult thing you’ve faced recently in your creative process?
The greatest difficulty has been the uncertainty of finding the right space in which to present my latest series of cyanotypes. This period of suspension sometimes turns into a creative block. When I don’t know where or how the work will exist publicly, the studio process is affected as well. It is not an easy phase, but I hope it will soon lead somewhere.

What is your favorite coffee shop and why do you like going there?
I don’t have a favourite coffee shop yet. I’m still looking for one. What I enjoy are simple, quiet, unpretentious places with very little noise. I like spaces that allow me to sit, think and observe. As a compulsive drawer, I value being able to draw in peace.

If your life were a movie this month, what would it be called and who would write the soundtrack?
Limbo, with a soundtrack by Mesías Maiguashca.

Which studios, laboratories, or workshops have you collaborated with recently or would you like to collaborate with in the future?
I had long wanted to develop a publication in collaboration with a studio or another person. Finally, that opportunity has arrived. For now I prefer not to reveal any details, but something will be ready very soon. I can’t wait to share it.

Recommend one or more artists you follow who inspire you, and tell us what you like most about their work or their way of working.
I highly recommend Filippo Balestra, a poet and friend whom I know well. I admire the way he works with language and continually reshapes it. Lately he has become increasingly focused on performance. If you’re in Italy, I strongly recommend seeing him live and discovering his work.

Carlos Lalvay Estrada
Born in La Maná, Ecuador. Has lived and worked in Genoa, Italy, since 2001.
instagram.com/pica_pica_pica_pica_pica_pica

La entrada The art of waiting se publicó primero en ERRR MAGAZINE.

How did this place come about and what made it different from the start?
13th Floor was founded by Simon and Benny, who run End of the Road as their day jobs. In 2020, we couldn’t hold the festival for reasons that shan’t be mentioned, so instead of sitting around waiting for the world to get back to normal, we started discussing things we both enjoyed and shared an interest in. We settled on good coffee and community, and thus the seeds of our coffee company were sown.

After months of research and location scouting, we pitched a fully converted horsebox trailer café in the gardens of St Mary’s Church in Stoke Newington, opposite Clissold Park, and began trading in March 2021. Because of our connections to musicians through our festival work, we decided early on to hire out-of-work musicians to support them. While we don’t exclusively hire musicians today, they still make up the majority of our team.

If someone is coming in for the first time, what should they not miss?
Whatever we have on as our guest filter. Hell, why not grab a bag of beans and get a free coffee while you’re there?

We’re also often told that we have one of the best house espressos in the city! We call it ‘Raw Power’ and it’s a beautiful natural Ugandan coffee from Elsewhere Coffee, our main coffee supplier, who are based in South London.

What has been an interesting challenge that has made you rethink something about the project?
We ran a small kitchen operation for 18 months and, while the food we offered was of a high standard, it made us realise just how difficult it is to break even when you’re making food to order. We had to make the tough decision to close the kitchen and refocus on sourced food from local premium bakeries.

What influence, idea, or reference continues to shape the way you work today?
It would be a miss not to mention that we currently only trade from horsebox trailers pitched in church gardens. It’s an unusual setup that continues to shape how we think about hospitality and community. That said, plans are afoot to open a brick-and-mortar café within the next 12 months.

What place, project, or person has inspired you recently and why?
For a simple but exceptional coffee and food offering, I can’t recall being more impressed than during my first visit to Prufrock on Leather Lane. Great service, a wide range of coffee options and a simple yet effective food menu. Their bacon on toast with espresso hollandaise is particularly noteworthy.

As for pastries, the best I’ve had in recent years have definitely come from Eric’s in East Dulwich.

If your space could invite someone to collaborate for a day, who would it be and what would you do together?
A major inspiration for us from the outset was Hard Lines from Cardiff. We loved their sense of playfulness and it made us realise we wanted to lean into that spirit rather than present something more serious. A collaboration with them would be great. We also run a community Run Club, so perhaps we’d organise a joint run somewhere wild and unexpected.

Is there an object, corner or detail of the place that has a story that few people know?
Why 13th Floor? When we were coming up with the name, we wanted something connected to music, so we named the project after the 13th Floor Elevators, arguably the greatest psychedelic band of all time. Coffee elevates, the 13th Floor Elevators elevate, and somehow the connection stuck. It’s a loose link, but we like it.

If this project were a city, a book, or a record, which would it be and why?
We’re nothing without our staff, so if 13th Floor were a record, it would be defined by the people who make it what it is. Here’s a selection of standout albums and releases created by members of our team:

Golden Dregs – Godspeed
Dana Gavanski – Late Slap
Lichen – In My Dreams You Were Golden
Perfect Binding – Perfect Binding
The Weird Weather Underground – Thinkin’ Pynchon Blues
Girl Ray – Prestige
Flamingods – Head of Pomegranate
Modern Woman – Johnny’s Dreamworld
Static Palm – Static Palm

Benny Locke
Co-Founder & Director of 13th Floor Coffee Co.
Specialty coffee from the team behind End of the Road
London, UK
instagram.com/13thfloor.coffee

La entrada 13th Floor Coffee Co. se publicó primero en ERRR MAGAZINE.

What pieces or projects have you been working on lately?
For the last two months I was in hospital. Finally, the doctors gave me my diagnosis: schizophrenia. I made these photographs during a free day when I was allowed to go outside, and this story came from that experience.

What did you learn (or unlearn) while working on it?
With my mind and feelings, I’m trying to return to a simpler kind of photography. I’m interested in a more documentary and lifestyle approach, focusing on everyday life and what the camera can do.

What words, ideas or emotions were running through your head?
I love expensive clothes, and I like to romanticize the stories behind my photographs. I think I do it naturally. The sea and the beach are also important elements in my work. I’m from Odesa, a port city, and I’ve always liked showing water in my pictures.

Were there any conversations, movies, music, or books that made their way into that work?
While I was in the hospital, I read Matthew McConaughey’s book “Greenlights” in Spanish. I don’t understand everything yet, of course, but it felt good to read it.

What’s been the most difficult thing you’ve faced recently in your creative process?
It was difficult to accept that I have schizophrenia and that I need monthly injections and daily medication. Somehow, though, my creative process has become more relaxed and confident since then.

What is your favorite coffee shop and why do you like going there?
I usually drink coffee at home. My favourite place is the balcony, where I sit and smoke Al Capone cigarillos. Before that, it used to be cigarettes.

If your life were a movie this month, what would it be called and who would write the soundtrack?
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.

Which studios, laboratories, or workshops have you collaborated with recently or would you like to collaborate with in the future?
Yes We Scan and Carmencita Film Lab, best film labs in Europe.

Recommend an artists you follow who inspire you.
Theo Wenner.

Vitalii Melnykov
Born in Odesa, Ukraine, in 1995. His work explores personal experiences, memory and everyday life through a documentary approach, often drawing on themes of place, identity and emotional observation.
instagram.com/vitaliimelnykov_

La entrada A day outside the hospital se publicó primero en ERRR MAGAZINE.

¿Cómo nació este local y qué lo hizo diferente desde el principio?
Nació de una idea de generar un espacio donde la gente pudiera probar comida tradicional mexicana casera, de buena calidad y a un precio justo.

¿Qué parte del día, del espacio o del proceso creativo disfrutan más quienes trabajan aquí?
Ver la reacción de la gente cuando prueba por primera vez nuestros guisados, y comprobar cómo una buena comida puede cambiar el día.

Si alguien entra por primera vez, ¿qué es lo que no debería perderse?
El taco de chicharrón prensado dorado y el de birria de picaña.

¿Cuál ha sido un desafío interesante que los haya hecho replantearse algo sobre el proyecto?
Iniciamos como dark kitchen y los costos de las plataformas nos impedían hacer el proyecto como realmente lo habíamos planeado: un taco para todos a precios justos.

¿Qué influencia, idea o referencia sigue guiando lo que hacen hoy?
Influencia: la más grande viene de los guisados que nos cocinaban nuestros abuelos, los tacos de canasta y los “mañaneros” del norte. Idea: tratar siempre de mejorar y mantener la calidad de los productos para que todos tengan acceso a buena comida.

¿Qué lugar, proyecto o persona los ha inspirado últimamente y por qué?
La Tonina y Tacos Villa de Santiago, ya que ofrecen guisados muy simples, pero a la vez complejos en sabor.

Si su espacio pudiera invitar a alguien a colaborar por un día, ¿quién sería y qué harían juntos?
El chef Santiago Moctezuma de Maizajo, para crear un taco que combine ambos estilos.

¿Hay algún objeto, rincón o detalle del lugar que tenga una historia que pocos conocen?
Al principio no sabíamos cómo lograr que la gente quisiera fotografiar su taco, ya que empezamos en dark kitchen y esa era la única manera de darnos a conocer. Fue entonces cuando se nos ocurrió poner el logo en cada tortilla para hacer cada taco especial.

Si este proyecto fuera una ciudad, un libro o un disco, ¿cuál sería y por qué?
La película El chef de Jon Favreau, porque tomamos inspiración de varios lugares de la República Mexicana para crear nuestro menú, y en un inicio el concepto se pensó como un food truck.

Los Tacos Hermanos
Deliciosos tacos a la puerta de tu casa
CDMX, México
instagram.com/lostacoshermanos.mx

La entrada Los Tacos Hermanos se publicó primero en ERRR MAGAZINE.

What pieces or projects have you been working on lately?
I’ve been focusing on a body of work for a physical group exhibition at Morgans Gallery in Cornwall. I’ve allowed a lot of time to work on these paintings so that I can play around with ideas without too much pressure. I also think it’s really important to be able to disregard paintings along the way when producing a collection of works. So far, these paintings have felt very playful, with a more abstract approach to still life. I have also done a lot of ink drawings which have very much informed my paintings, as well as being artworks in themselves.

What did you learn (or unlearn) while working on it?
I’m forever learning while painting. I feel like there’s an endless internal monologue going through my head that guides me whichever way feels right in the moment. When you’re so immersed in any art form, it’s very easy to almost get lost in it. I think the biggest lesson with this particular collection has been to step away regularly and have short bursts of space from the work and come back to it with fresh eyes. It’s pretty amazing what that does, and it’s very easy to be ruthless in the moment and later regret a decision, such as wiping a painting, which continues to be a favourite habit of mine.

What words, ideas or emotions were running through your head?
Sometimes I will make up stories in my head while painting, which informs the work as I go along. I guess the stories can also be a comfort, as painting can feel quite intense. I think it’s this intensity that leaves me wanting to paint more and more. There seems to be this conversation between pressure, play and believing in what you’re doing all the time, trying to keep self-criticism at bay. Painting has to feel free, otherwise the work will suffer as will the painter.

Were there any conversations, movies, music, or books that made their way into that work?
There hasn’t been any influence from a book, film or music in this particular collection. This body of work feels like an extension of me exploring different ways to create still life. It could be an endless exploration really. I find myself learning and wanting to explore something new whenever I paint.

What’s been the most difficult thing you’ve faced recently in your creative process?
The most difficult thing I faced this month in my creative process was learning to let go when something felt like it wasn’t going to plan. I am learning more and more that what doesn’t work only informs something else as part of an ongoing journey.

What is your favorite restaurant and why do you like going there?
I’m not a massive restaurant goer, I’m very much a home bird. However, the last couple of times we have eaten out it has been to Condesa on Whiteladies Road in Bristol. This restaurant seems to do everything right and is very much an eatery experience with delicate small plates and a beautiful interior. I would highly recommend it to anyone visiting Bristol!

Which studios, laboratories, or workshops have you collaborated with recently or would you like to collaborate with in the future?
My last collaboration workshop was at the start of 2025 with ‘STILL’, run by Ellie Jauncey, who works with artists and makers to create online workshops that people can sign up to. It was a great experience teaching online and I felt like I learnt from it myself. I hope to teach again with STILL this coming autumn.

Recommend one or more artists you follow who inspire you, and tell us what you like most about their work or their way of working.
There are so many artists out there that inspire me. Although viewing the majority of art on Instagram is by no means the best way to experience it, there is such an abundance of incredibly talented artists and makers on there that if anything good can be said for that platform, it’s the creative community.

Martyn Cross has to be one of my favourites. His work feels like you’re stepping into a world that could be now, in the future or 2000 years ago. The characters in his paintings can feel otherworldly, telling a very obscure story.

Eska Marsh is another artist whose work I find beautiful. Her prints feel like paintings or rich drawings that aren’t all that meets the eye. The style of her work allows a story to unfold right in front of you with her very characterful interpretations of everyday objects and scenes.

Rob Lyon is another artist who I have loved watching develop his paintings over the years. His most recent exhibition in New York is some of my favourite work of his. His work seemed to soften for this show, giving his paintings a dream-like quality. I love the way he uses colour and shape to form what appears to be abstract landscapes, but the paintings really could be many things. I think this is what is so special about his work.

I could go on to include more and more artists; however, the presentation of art for exhibitions is a huge part of its final appearance and feel. Joshua Smith is an incredible framer who myself and some of the above artists have used to frame their work. Joshua himself comes from a background of painting and has an amazing vision for displaying artworks in his beautifully crafted frames.

Jay Harper
Jay’s work predominantly explores a combination of real life and abstract still life compositions, with a heavy focus on shapes and muted colour. She believes in the process of painting, allowing ideas to flow freely with feeling.
instagram.com/jayharperart

La entrada Floating into space se publicó primero en ERRR MAGAZINE.

¿Cómo nació este proyecto y qué lo hizo diferente desde el principio?
El proyecto nació de un interés por explorar la relación entre la luz, los objetos y la manera en que habitamos los espacios. Desde el inicio me atrajo la idea de crear luminarias que fueran más allá de su función práctica: piezas capaces de aportar presencia, carácter y una experiencia sensorial a quienes conviven con ellas.

Lo que lo hizo diferente desde el principio fue entender la luminaria como algo más que una fuente de iluminación. Me interesaba investigar cómo la forma, el color, los materiales y la luz pueden influir en la atmósfera de un lugar y transformar la manera en que se percibe y se vive. La sensorialidad siempre ha sido una parte fundamental del proceso: cómo se siente un espacio, qué emociones transmite y cómo una pieza puede generar una conexión con quien la observa y la habita.

¿Qué parte del proceso, del espacio o de la práctica diaria disfrutas más?
Lo que más disfruto es investigar, experimentar con materiales y desarrollar nuevas ideas. Hay algo muy gratificante en ver cómo las ideas se transforman gradualmente en una pieza.

Si alguien visitara el estudio por primera vez, ¿qué no debería perderse?
No debería perderse los bocetos, las referencias y los pequeños hallazgos que forman parte del proceso creativo. Muchas de las ideas nacen de observar la vida cotidiana, los objetos, la arquitectura, la naturaleza o la forma en que la luz interactúa con los espacios. Ahí es donde comienzan a tomar forma las piezas.

¿Cuál ha sido un desafío interesante que te haya obligado a replantearte algo sobre tu trabajo o forma de hacer las cosas?
Uno de los desafíos más interesantes ha sido encontrar el equilibrio entre la exploración creativa y la viabilidad de cada pieza. Muchas veces una idea funciona en el papel, pero al llevarla a los materiales y a la producción surgen nuevas preguntas y posibilidades. Ese proceso me ha enseñado a replantear constantemente las ideas y a entender el diseño como un diálogo entre la intención creativa y lo que cada material puede aportar.

¿Qué influencia, idea o referencia sigue guiando lo que haces hoy?
La naturaleza sigue siendo una de mis principales fuentes de inspiración. Me atraen especialmente sus formas, patrones y estructuras, así como la manera en que la luz interactúa con ellas. Más que reproducir elementos naturales de forma literal, busco reinterpretarlos a través de los materiales, el color y la luz para crear piezas que transmitan sensaciones y aporten carácter a los espacios.

¿Qué lugar, proyecto o persona te ha inspirado recientemente y por qué?
Recientemente me ha inspirado mucho la finalización de la Sagrada Familia y la visión de Antoni Gaudí, cuyo trabajo he admirado durante años. Me impresiona la dedicación detrás de más de un siglo de construcción, así como la riqueza de detalle, simbolismo y exploración formal presente en cada rincón. También me cautiva la manera en que la luz y el color transforman el espacio, generando una experiencia profundamente sensorial. Es una obra que demuestra cómo el arte, la arquitectura y el diseño pueden trascender el tiempo y seguir despertando asombro.

Si pudieras invitar a alguien a colaborar durante un día, ¿quién sería y qué harían juntos?
Me encantaría colaborar con Javier Senosiain. Siempre he admirado su capacidad para cuestionar las formas convencionales y crear espacios que parecen surgir de manera natural. Creo que sería fascinante diseñar juntos una luminaria o una intervención espacial donde la luz, las formas orgánicas y la experiencia sensorial fueran protagonistas. Me inspira su libertad creativa y la manera en que transforma la arquitectura en una experiencia viva y emocional.

¿Hay algún objeto, herramienta, rincón o detalle del espacio que tenga una historia especial?
Sí, Venus ocupa un lugar especial dentro de mi trabajo. Es una pieza inspirada en lo galáctico, en aquello que existe más allá de lo visible y despierta nuestra curiosidad. A través de ella quise explorar el equilibrio entre estructura y fluidez, combinando materiales metálicos con piedras y gemas para crear una sensación de contraste y armonía. Más que una luminaria, representa una búsqueda por traducir asombro, misterio y belleza en una experiencia de luz.

Si tu estudio fuera una ciudad, un libro o un disco, ¿cuál sería y por qué?
Si este proyecto fuera una ciudad, sería Roma. Es un lugar donde el arte, la arquitectura y la historia conviven de manera extraordinaria. Me inspira la riqueza de sus detalles, el simbolismo presente en cada rincón y la capacidad de sus espacios para generar asombro. Al igual que en mi trabajo, encuentro valor en las capas de significado, la materialidad y las experiencias que permanecen en la memoria mucho después de haberlas vivido.

Nathalia Ramírez
Creadora / fundadora de Nathalia Ramírez Studio
Objetos que iluminan desde la forma
México
instagram.com/nathalia_ramirez_studio

La entrada Nathalia Ramírez Studio se publicó primero en ERRR MAGAZINE.

¿Hubo alguna obsesión, idea fija o imagen que guió el proceso creativo del disco, aunque no sea evidente para quien lo escucha?
La idea del deseo como motor vital. Y de la falta que nos acompaña a todos. Eso que perseguimos eternamente y que parece que rozamos pero no alcanzamos del todo. Y que nos hace seguir en búsqueda, en movimiento.

¿Cómo fue el proceso de decidir qué canciones sí y cuáles no formarían parte del disco?
Una vez tuve el concepto claro había algunas que tenían que estar si o si como Deseo o Tu cielo. Más tarde compuse Quiero decirte amor, Corazón joven y por último Paxaros que se coló a una semana de entrar a grabar y para mí fue como una ensoñación, un regalo y mi favorita del disco. Todas abordan de alguna forma u otra esa sed desmedida por lo vital, ese deseo gigante. 

¿Qué cambió en la manera de escribir, grabar o producir en este disco con respecto a grabaciones anteriores?
Permitirme darle el espacio y el tiempo que necesitaba. Y grabarlo todo en un mismo lugar unos días concretos. Yo siempre había dividido el proceso creativo y había ido grabando canción a canción. Muchas veces en mi propia casa por falta de presupuesto y recursos. Para Amar la sed nos fuimos tres días a un pueblo cercano a Barcelona, al estudio del productor The New Raemon con Jordi Solans a los mandos. Y fue como ver nacer el disco. Era verano y creo que guarda algo de todas esas sensaciones. Además se vino mi pareja y también Marilia Monzón que es la única colaboración del álbum y fuimos como una especie de familia por unos días.

¿Hubo alguna canción que costó especialmente terminar o soltar? ¿Por qué? 
Me costó animarme a grabar Una vida y darle ese cierre al álbum porque algunas personas me habían dicho que tenía una estructura rara y que no se entendía muy bien. Pero para mí siempre había sido especial. La había compuesto improvisando una noche y me parecía el resumen perfecto de todo lo nombrado. Hay un amor grande que nunca puede entregarse del todo. ‘Si el amor fuera una vida, te entregaría despacito el corazón con alegría’. 

¿Qué rol jugaron la intuición y el error durante el proceso?
Todo! Creo que no sé hacerlo de otra forma. Al ser un proyecto tan personal donde casi todas las decisiones finales en cuanto a repertorio y a qué quiero contar las tomo yo, me dejo llevar por lo que siento en cada momento y por aquellas canciones que me emocionan particularmente. También aprendí mucho de Ramón porque él trabaja improvisando, jugando, escuchando a ver qué le pide cada canción. Y fue bonito ir viendo cómo se vestían. 

¿El orden de las canciones fue pensado como una narrativa? ¿Cómo se decidió el orden?
En este caso me dejé aconsejar por Ramón y juntos construimos el viaje. Yo tenía claro el track 1 y el final del álbum pero él me sugirió cómo ir ordenando el resto y a día de hoy creo que esa era la mejor opción. Creo que juntas y colocadas de esa forma cuentan muy bien la historia y hacen que quien escucha vaya sintiendo cada vez más. 

¿Con qué compositorxs, músicxs, bandas, productorxs y estudios te gustaría colaborar en un futuro?
Mi sueño histórico ha sido trabajar con Raúl Refree. También me gustaría volver a trabajar con Nacho Mur y con Ramón porque por suerte he tenido dos experiencias muy dulces en los procesos de mis dos álbumes. Y en general estoy abierta a colaborar con sensibilidades afines estos próximos años. Siempre me ha encantado también la escena de Maro, Rita Payés, Silvia Pérez Cruz, Silvana Estrada. Creo que hay una generación de mujeres poderosas e inspiradoras que proponen una forma distinta de hacer y que abren caminos que para las artistas pequeñas como yo son un faro ahí al fondo. 

Sara Sístole
Artista gallega, de arena en la voz, que toca con sus canciones el corazón. 
instagram.com/sarasistole

La entrada Amar la sed se publicó primero en ERRR MAGAZINE.

How did this place come about and what made it different from the start?
After a few years of doing caterings and traveling the world as guest chefs, we came to the point where we longed for a permanent space. A grounding base that roots us at home and where we can build a stable life around. We both have backgrounds in the culinary field and bring together Asian flavors and a love for simple and good food. What makes Cà Phê Lalot so special is the personal touch it has. The cafe is run by us – so it has a very personal character. We know our guests and they know us. It’s about the interactions we have, the people who bring their energy to the space. We love building bonds with our regulars. It’s personality and individuality shaped by us and our dear guests.

What part of the day, space, or creative process do those who work here enjoy the most?
Usually it is only the two of us working but our part time employee supports us 1-2 days a week. We always look so much forward to those shifts where we work together. When it is super busy and the 3 of us are in a flow it can feel so light like a choreography and time flies. We also create the recipes together and that brings in so much creativity.

If someone is coming in for the first time, what should they not miss?
Taking themselves the time to wait for the water to drip down the metal filter of the traditional Vietnamese coffee filter (Cà Phê Phin/ Cà Phê Sua) and enjoy it as a break from their everyday duties. 

What has been an interesting challenge that has made you rethink something about the project?
We underestimated the challenge of working within such a small kitchen space, especially when it comes to cooking lunch for many people, who all want to eat around the same time (12:10 p.m.). So we had to adapt our dishes in order to be able to freshly cook them every day and still plating them very fast. First we come up with a basic idea of a dish, then we are thinking about each component of the dish and how we can prepare them within our limited space. Over the last two years we almost have developed a new kind of cooking for our lunch offer and by now it feels very natural to create new dishes that are possible to implement. 

What influence, idea, or reference continues to shape the way you work today?
The act of freeing ourselves from the limited idea of “authentic” exotic cooking and bringing together flavors to develop food cultures further. 

What place, project, or person has inspired you recently and why?
We are in love with South East Asian coffee house culture. Right before we got the keys to our restaurant we were guest chefs in Bangkok, so we took the chance to visit as many traditional breakfast places as we could. Those places are often influenced by the war times, being reflected in the use of products like condensed milk, milo coco powder or Maggi seasoning. Despite those durable, convenience products not being mandatory that much any more, they are still loved by many local people in Hanoi, Singapore, Hong Kong and other cities in South East Asia and so are those breakfast places that have been built around them. For us the atmosphere of those places is the key inspiration for Cà Phê Lalot and the essence of feeding the working people in the neighborhood is basically exactly what we do now.

If your space could invite someone to collaborate for a day, who would it be and what would you do together?
Sandy Liang. Her playful designs are so fun to look at. We would love her to create our work uniforms.

Is there an object, corner or detail of the place that has a story that few people know?
Right at the doorstep when you enter the cafe there was a broken floortile. When renovating the space we decided to fill up the leak with transparent epoxy and placed a Chinese lucky coin inside. It symbolizes protection and luck and is commonly placed close to doors in Chinese houses. It is a tiny detail only few people recognize.

If this project were a city, a book, or a record, which would it be and why?
Lana del Rey, no better sound than her other worldly dreamy voice being played in our four walls and out in the garden area.

Viola Waldeck & Lukas Stein
Owners of Cà Phê Lalot
Asian morning & lunch bar
Wien, Österreich
instagram.com/caphe.lalot

La entrada Cà Phê Lalot se publicó primero en ERRR MAGAZINE.