A journal on city life & culture Seattle / Bucharest / Madrid / Bristol / Amsterdam
ISSUE 2
ACITYMADEBYPEOPLE.COM
Waqar Ahmad
Citinerary | A City Made By People | Issue 2 ISSN 2468-4732 Published in Amsterdam, July 2017 Founder & Publisher Robin Cox Design
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Art Direction
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Editor
Suzanna Knight
Cover photography
Kevin Rijnders
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City captains
Julie Bourne (Seattle) Alexa Sferle (Bucharest) Marta Aguilar (Madrid) Morgane Bigault (Bristol) Mio van der Mei (Amsterdam)
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Richard Rigby
WELCOME
Citizens as the lens through which to understand city culture Yes, we know, it took us almost a year to publish our
there, inspire others to join and to co-celebrate the
second issue of the A City Made By People journal.
cities we live in.
But what a year it’s been! We’ve received so much enthusiasm about our first issue. From selling out
A City Made By People is not here to tell you how things
in bookstores around the world, press features and
are done. Our correspondents and the citizens they
hundreds of Instagram mentions, to a stream of new
meet, and the interactions they have together are the
city enthusiasts joining our network of cities.
true insights on how a city works and evolves over time.
And as of today, we are proud to say we have teams of
And we’re super proud of them! In this last paragraph,
correspondents in 15 different cities:
I’d like to thank everyone from the network taking
Amsterdam, Berlin, Bucharest, Bristol, Chicago, Lis
part in this endeavor. For issue 2, thank you Seattle,
bon, Los Angeles, Madrid, Melbourne, Minneapolis,
Bucharest, Madrid, Bristol and Amsterdam for all your
Odessa, Oslo, Rotterdam, Seattle, Tokyo, and a lot
hard work over the last months.
more joining soon. Special thanks to city captains Julie, Alexa, Marta, In all honesty, what drives us isn’t the running of a
Morgane and Mio for putting up with me in this process
weekly online magazine, hosting monthly speaker
of crafting a print journal. And my partners in crime:
events, publishing a bi-annual print journal and who
photographer Kevin for art-directing, designer Claudia
knows what else we might come up with in the near
for putting everything together and editor Suzanna for
future. Sure, it’s great to see them all evolve in their
all the back-and-forth reading and editing.
own way, and we love the process of taking an idea and making it become reality.
We can’t wait to get this issue out there and have you explore the various cities that are part of our thriving
But what excites us the most are the people we work
network.
with and meet. Their talent, enthusiasm, drive, knowhow, commitment, opinions, and most of all, all the
#acitymadebypeople
things we have in common and share. A likeminded purpose and collective intention on how we want to
Best
portray our city and the citizens who shape it.
Robin Cox City Enthusiast Officer (CEO)
Our city captains and correspondents are city enthusi asts to the core. They take this idea of ‘exploring city life and culture’ and make it their own. They get out
Let’s celebrate the people who keep our city clean
@berlin_madebypeople by Juliane
#acitymadebypeople
@seattle_madebypeople by Julie
@tokyo_madebypeople by Mana
@melbourne_madebypeople by Netta
@rotterdam_madebypeople by Wouter
@amsterdam_madebypeople by Robin
@madrid_madebypeople by Marta
@minneapolis_madebypeople by Waqar
@chicago_madebypeople by Touly
@vancouver_madebypeople by Melissa
Our correspondents
JULIE BOURNE
LINDSEY POTTER
WELCOME
Seattle We say it rains here all the time, but that’s only to keep everyone away so we can have this beautiful place all to ourselves. Mountains were moved to build this city, where men and women like their coffee pitch black and their music underground. Welcome to the city of the fiercely proud and relentlessly unique.
A sense of community in the middle of a loud and busy city: Step inside Seattle’s Public Library Downtown Seattle’s hidden gem: Pioneer Square Sounds of Seattle
CONTENTS
ARCHITECTURE
A sense of community in the middle of a loud and busy city: Step inside Seattle’s Public Library Join us on a visit to Seattle’s public library, where literature and architecture come together in one stunning place. Words by JULIE BOURNE
SEATTLE
Thomas Hawk
Thomas Hawk
ARCHITECTURE
I’ll admit it: I don’t really spend much time in libraries.
Primarily made of concrete, steel, and glass, the
In fact, prior to my recent first visit to the Seattle Public
iconic diagonal grid system of the building is made
Library, I couldn’t think of my last library experience
to withstand forces like wind or earthquakes (I know
since I was a teenager, borrowing DVDs and books
where I’m going when “The Big One” hits…). It looks
about vampires.
crazy and unplanned yet stunning and genius at the same time. The top floor reading room is ethereal;
In my memory, libraries are stuffy, smelling of dust and
light, airy, and exactly the kind of place I’d love to
always slightly too warm with unpleasant lighting and
spend a relaxed Saturday afternoon. On the other end
even more unpleasant librarians. It’s 2017. Our lives
of things, there’s a section of recording studios and
move fast and if we can’t get to something on our phones
classrooms that feel straight out of a sci-fi or horror
right away, we lose interest. This is probably where my
film. On a particularly quiet Saturday, I found myself
lack of library visits lies; there’s always a podcast to be
peering around latex-like red walls wondering if I was
listening to, a new Instagrammable restaurant to try
actually alone.
out, or a TV show to binge-watch on Netflix.
A future-proof library It’s as if architects Rem Koolhaas (of the Netherlands) and Joshua Ramus (a native Seattleite) understood that this would be the common affliction of 2017 Seattle dwellers, even back in 2004 when the library was re-opened to the public. The building begs for attention, not with desperation, but with the coolness of a new piece of technology. It’s not exclusively dedicated to the books, but instead has adapted to the multimedia flexibility that today’s visitors expect, delivering a dose
“On a particularly quiet Saturday, I found myself peering around latex-like red walls wondering if I was actually alone.”
of surrealism and Apple store-esque airiness. Redefining what it means to be a Downtown high-rise,
Creating quiet, communal space
the building is time-sensitive, casting intense new light
I’m guilty of perpetuating the stereotype of young
forms depending on where the sun is, and also avoiding
people not going to libraries anymore, in the way
the vast flatness that often comes with libraries. Books
that they used to. But it is just a stereotype: visiting
are sorted based on a spiral formation, a continuous rib-
the Seattle Public Library gave me more of a sense of
bon of the Dewey Decimal System, physically experi-
community than I get in most places. Families, groups
enced as fluid movement from one floor (or, ‘platform’)
of teenagers, people doing business, tourists, and other
to the next. Each platform is designed for maximized
onlookers like myself were all present, enjoying an
function, dedicated to a unique purpose, whether that’s
atmosphere that feels personal and quiet, even smack
a hub for librarians to inform guests, silent halls of indi-
in the middle of a loud, busy city. ¢
viduals with their noses in books, or spaces for work, play, and socializing.
SEATTLE
Sean Munson
Sean Munson
NEIGHBORHOODS
Downtown Seattle’s hidden gem: Pioneer Square In a rapidly growing city, locals yearn for a part of town that still has character. Words by LINDSEY POTTER Pictures by LYNAE COOK
A friend from the East Coast was making plans for his
Fun fact: it’s not even where Downtown started when
first visit to the Pacific Northwest. As he was planning
Seattle was being built, despite common assumptions
his stops, he asked me if we could do ‘Seattle things’
otherwise.
while he was here, which he listed as: drinking coffee,
In fact, Pioneer Square was the first neighborhood of
wearing ponchos, and catching fish. His playful jab at
Seattle. Dating back to the 1800s, it is now nestled
my city was returned with a sarcastic comeback and
between the Financial District and SoDo. When I
promises of a perfectly curated tour by yours truly.
walk through this neighborhood, I often think of how
Unfortunately, his trip was cancelled in the end and
rapid ly this historic area has changed; as if it has
I never got a chance to show him what rad ‘Seattle
been pushing against its old bones to make room for
things’ locals actually do that do not include Pike Place
newcomers, appeasing Seattle’s growth.
Market, or any other cliché landmarks.
When I first moved up to Seattle five years ago, I probably walked through Pioneer Square just a handful
Seattle’s first neighborhood
of times. There would be the occasional art gallery that
Don’t get me wrong, there are many reasons to love
would catch my eye on the edge of the neighborhood,
Pike Place Market. I never get tired of wandering past
but I would never get off my bus route to check it out.
the vendors and their beautiful flowers, the line-worthy
I think it was more to do with the fact that the events
treats at Piroshky Piroshky Bakery, or its uneven paths
I wanted to go to were in popular areas like Capitol
that often lead you to intimate views of the water. That
Hill and the occasion never presented itself for my
being said, it is not necessarily a spot that I’m willing to
younger self to step out of her normal routine. At the
fight through hordes of tourists to get to. Even though
time the only things I knew about Pioneer Square were
it’s iconic, it’s not the only defining landmark of Seattle.
as follows:
“Pioneer Square has a seedy reputation under its belt, which can largely be blamed on its origins as a hub for prostitution, gambling, and all sorts of other ways for drunk sailors to get their kicks.” SEATTLE
It’s where the famous - and haunting - underground
the rest of the city - what a gem Pioneer Square really
tours of Seattle live, there are a couple of popular
is. While so much of the city’s old streets have been
clubs in the neighborhood (aggressively advertised on
torn down and replaced with new, sleek townhomes,
littered light posts) and that I had been cautioned to
Pioneer Square seems to have new life pumped into its
not wander around that area alone at night. Needless
veins. New and trendy restaurants like London Plane
to say, Pioneer Square has a seedy reputation under its
or Damn the Weather have become very successful
belt, which can largely be blamed on its origins as a hub
in the area, along with countless other little bars and
for prostitution, gambling, and all sorts of other ways
coffee shops, all sprouted behind beautifully historic
for drunk sailors to get their kicks. Sure, that was all the
archways and dark brick walls.
way back in the 1800s, but the deep remnants of grit still remain.
Craving nostalgia The clear shift of popularity to Pioneer Square repre
“I didn’t know this was here!”
sents a pretty ubiquitous experience in many of the
After about a year of living in the city, I am pretty
neighborhoods in Seattle. We’re experiencing such
sure that my first visit to Pioneer Square was actually
insane population growth across the board that finding
because my friend had tickets to a special underground
space for business and living is becoming a challenge
tour and told me it was kind of a right of passage to
that we have not had before, at least not at this scale.
living here. As we were walking to the meeting spot,
Along with new buildings called by minimalist one-
I kept passing cute little restaurants and stores. I kept
word names and with the same modern aesthetic, locals
muttering, “I didn’t know this was here!” and “do you
are craving nostalgia for a neighborhood that seems to
want to come back to check that spot out?!” All it took
have managed to hold onto its Seattle integrity. In this,
was doing a touristy thing that I would normally hate
Pioneer Square is having its moment, and Seattleites
for me to fall in love with the most local spot in Seattle.
like myself hope it will maintain its artsy-seedy roots
I finally figured out - and along with me what feels like
for as long as possible. ¢
SEATTLE
Caroline Kerr
April Sol
Taylar Elizza Beth
MUSIC
Sounds of Seattle Seattle is home to some major names in music: Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Macklemore, and Sir Mix-a-Lot, just to name a few. However, the influence coming out of Seattle across the global music scene runs much deeper. To get an understanding of the true Seattle sound, I spoke with five Seattle locals deeply entrenched in music and its relation to their communities and personal lives. Words by JULIE BOURNE
Matt “Spek” Watson Matt is most known throughout Seattle as Spekulation:
All time most influential Seattle artist in your life?
a Seattle-based emcee and producer whose blend of
There are a few on the hip hop front - Gabriel Teodros
samples and live instrumentals with impactful lyricism
is one of them. He’s been a rapper here for 20 years or
perfectly capture where Seattle has been, where it is
something like that. Hearing his music is a large part of
now, and where it is headed.
why I stayed in Seattle.
Seattle artist you’re currently most excited about?
I’ve organized the Beacon Hill Block Party with Gabriel over the past few years. It started as something more
DoNormaal - she’s super dope. She is a young Seattle
accessible than the Capitol Hill Block Party, which
hip hop artist doing super forward-thinking things in the
is gated and exclusive despite being in the middle of
scene, really defining what hip hop in Seattle will sound
the neighborhood. People live in that neighborhood
like in the future. She’ll be famous - know her name.
and resources are being taken from them. We’ve
Her performance is wonderful and her sound is almost
done everything reactively, doing what Capitol Hill
psychedelic; weedy. She also has a collective around
Block Party isn’t doing - no fences, everything is free,
her, which she brings with her to shows, and she always
everyone is welcome, we pay our people. It’s kind of a
makes sure they get paid. She’s finding ways to protect
poetic metaphor for what’s going on in Seattle.
them in the music they make from the forces that be.
“If the music is diseased, the community is diseased. Nurture it, don’t exploit it. Build it for the community.” SEATTLE
MUSIC
What makes Seattle’s music scene unique, in your perspective? That fact that we’re at the tail end of tradition now. When I moved here, you could branch out and do lots of collaborations and cross-genre shows. In the last four to five years, that’s tapered off rapidly. As the city becomes more unaffordable for most artists, a majority of my artist friends don’t even live here anymore. The art that comes out of here now is about survival, not just for the artist but for Seattle art in general. There’s no serious artist making art anymore who doesn’t realize that. It’s all more political even when it’s fun.
Favorite music moment in the last year? Beacon Hill Block Party last year. There’s a dance crew called Northwest Tap, a group of young kids. The choreographer is a young rapper. They came and did a five to ten minutes tap performance to Janelle Monae’s Hell You Talmbout. It was really powerful. The street everyone was focused on these kids. It was filmed and
Matt “Spek” Watson
blew up on the internet. Now the school is booking gigs and it’s easier for them to recruit kids. It was a dance break in the middle of a hip hop show but ended up
Seattle artist you’re currently most excited about?
being a big moment. Janelle Monae saw the video and
I’m excited about all Seattle artists! It’s really hard to
retweeted it.
pick one and I wouldn’t! I have a really great opportunity to hear so many different styles of music and meet many different people, I feel very blessed and grateful. There are many exciting things happening in Seattle
Sharlese Metcalf
and it’s fun to live and listen here.
Sharlese has a deep background in radio, having started the radio program at Green River Community College,
All time most influential Seattle artist in your life?
and later hosting Local Motion, the music show at KGRG,
I just don’t think I have just one. I’m influenced by
for three years. After this, she started volunteering at
Seattle. I’m influenced by Sub Pop and the bands they
KEXP in 2005 and has been working on the Audioasis
created, I’m influenced by all the people who are part
music show ever since, currently as the producer.
of the music and art scene that makes up Seattle. I don’t
How many years have you been in Seattle? Thirty-eight years! My entire life!
have just one, I got into this because I like everyone and find inspiration through a little something that everyone does. It’s a great place for creativity.
SEATTLE
Loren Elliot
cleared, the clouds parted, the rain cleared up and
MUSIC
Mollie Bryan
What makes Seattle’s music scene unique, in your perspective?
Mollie runs a gallery and creative event space just
The scene has a bit of everything and offers it all in
south of Downtown called Mokedo, which hosts events
really great spaces around the city. It’s cool that festivals
focusing on visual arts, electronic music, and anything
in the city are doing all they can to support the local
else where these two art forms intersect.
scene as well, and give them a way to raise their profile. The Seattle music scene is really full of community and
What is your music background?
everyone supports each other in different ways. You
When I moved to Seattle proper about nine years ago,
see shows that are very well mixed with different styles
I got totally immersed in the music community in the
of music so that everyone gets a chance to discover
ways I always wanted to be. I found my chosen family
different things and develop ways to support and
in electronic music, which sounds cheesy but it’s true. I
connect. I love it here!
started going to every show I could, I became Hospitality Director for Decibel Festival, and started putting on my
Seattle venue of choice and why?
own private events a few years back. And now 18 years
I would say Timbre Room because I like the size of the
after I first fell in love with electronic music, I have my
venue and I think the sound is pretty good. Vermillion
own gallery/venue and a giant community of talented
because it’s a great community space, Revolver because
humans!
I love all the records that come through there, and Pony because of how safe the space feels and the cool events
Seattle artist you’re currently most excited about?
that they host.
There are just so many amazing producers and artists in Seattle right now and I think there always will be. I like my music to tell a story, take me on a journey. Simic from the Secondnature crew takes me on a journey every time he plays. He’s a true storyteller of sounds and I’m really excited to see where he will go. My friend Keith Kelly of Cyanwave is creating some new music for a private festival I produce every year. After a few years of a producing hiatus, I’m drooling in anticipation of hearing his new sounds.
What makes Seattle’s music scene unique, in your perspective? In the music communities I engage with, we’re all pretty supportive of each other. I think that makes us very unique. We understand everyone is promoting Lynae Cook
and performing for the greater good, so nobody is Noah Gundersen
really trying to one up each other nor does it feel very competitive. Sure there are a few egos out there, but
SEATTLE
MUSIC
Taylar Elizza Beth the rest of us are all about supporting each other and
Taylar Elizza Beth (Taylar White) is a rapper, singer, and
building each other up and that’s the good stuff that
songwriter. Her newest EP Fresh Cut Flowers dropped
makes the world go around!
in late May.
Favorite music moment of the past year or so?
How many years have you been in Seattle?
About four months after I opened up my gallery,
My whole life! I grew up in White Center (a neighbor
Mokedo, Secondnature created an excellent private
hood southwest of the city).
event there, headlined by techno artist Jane Fitz. Jane was such a storyteller behind the decks, it was
What is your music background?
incredible. At one point I stopped and took the moment
Growing up, I was heavily involved with multiple musi-
in. I realized that there we were. A room full of friends
cal productions, auditioned for (and got into) the talent
and strangers, coming together to experience joy and
show every year, and was even a part of a show choir.
happiness through sound and movement. Literally
I don’t actually play any instruments yet, unless you
every person was smiling. It wasn’t a party, it was an
count freestyle bongos.
experience. And this is the thing I live for and that sustains so many of us. Moments of musical bliss. The
Seattle artist you’re currently most excited about?
type of music doesn’t matter, it’s those connecting
I’m definitely most excited for myself. I’m in a really
moments of happiness through sound that matters.
great space as an artist, gaining confidence rapidly and in
Sound is incredible and that moment and my ability to
turn gaining recognition for that confidence. Right now,
help foster it will be forever ingrained in my mind as a
artists like DoNormaal, Guayaba, Astro King Phoenix
moment of great success and joy.
and Raven Matthews are revolutionaries in their own unique ways. They are definitely leading the wave.
“This is the thing I live for and that sustains so many of us. Moments of musical bliss. The type of music doesn’t matter, it’s those connecting moments of happiness through sound that matters.”
What makes Seattle’s music scene unique, in your perspective? Well, first, the ‘music scene’ is so multidimensional and deep right now. It feels like the leaders of each genre are absolutely killing it by making music freely and unapologetically. But in the hip hop scene? My friends and I (mentioned above) are actively taking over. We are creating a largely novel sound, a new sub genre of hip hop that we plan to infect the world with.
Seattle venue of choice and why? Places like The Timbre Room, or Nuemos are pretty dope venues. But honestly? The best performance moments are in grassy backyards, sweaty basements and impromptu 2am living room freestyles.
SEATTLE
MUSIC
Taylor Nelson Taylor is a designer living and working in Seattle,
of Seattle’s music scene wouldn’t be complete without
whose work and life draw inspiration from music and
a sweaty basement house show.
the broader Seattle arts and culture scene.
In recent years the Seattle feminist-punk band has reigned
Seattle artist you’re currently most excited about?
supreme - bands like Tacocat, Chastity Belt, Childbirth and Mommy Long Legs. That movement of irreverent
Everyone in the world, including yours truly, is stoked
fun femme-centric bands seems not necessarily Seattle
about Chastity Belt. I love them for so many reasons -
specific but definitely Seattle successful.
their irreverence and humor, their dreary yet melodic punk sound. I cannot stress how awesome it still is for
I think Seattle institutions like KEXP and the Vera
me to go to a show and see four women my age killing
Project are also really unique and important to Seattle’s
it on stage, singing about things I have experienced in
music scene. KEXP has brought so many wonderful
a way I can relate to. The world can often seem like a
artists from across the globe to this city, while also
boys’ club, even to a spectator like myself. Mosh pits are
providing a global platform for local bands.
not made for girls. I feel very much at home when I go to a Chastity Belt show.
I’ve always loved Black Lodge for the DIY and
What makes Seattle’s music scene unique, in your perspective?
community vibes. I’ve seen many a Seattle punk show there and it feels unique and important in this ever-
Seattle’s punk/rock history is still showing its lasting
changing city. For bigger, more official shows, the
impressions on this area’s music scene. Sonically, I
Neptune has a special place in my heart. I love the old-
think this city will always own a chunk of the punk air
timey theater vibes and have seen so many great shows
waves. The DIY scene here is super strong, any picture
from a variety of genres there. ¢
DoNormaal
Taylor Nelson
SEATTLE
Talia Green
Lynae Cook
Seattle venue of choice and why?
Our correspondents
ADRIANA SPULBER
SERGEY POLIAKOV
ALEXA SFERLE
RALUCA COADA
BINE AȚI VENIT
Bucharest Leaning West, but never without losing its Eastern roots. A city that can’t be defined, even by long-time residents. Straddling the divide between the past and the present, East and West, Bucharest’s younger generation is always and forever looking to the future.
Reviving an iconic local brand The ten faces of Bucharest Communicating the symphonic energy of Bucharest
CONTENTS
MOBILITY
Reviving an iconic local brand Doing things with love is at the heart of Andrei Botescu, the man who had the idea to look back to his childhood and transport all the good vibes from his past into the future. It takes just one passionate man to revive an urban culture. As owner of the much-loved Romanian bike brand Pegas, Andrei reveals the story behind his beliefs and how his passions keep him moving forward. Words by RALUCA COADA
Pegasus is a strong name in Greek mythology. What about Pegas, here in Bucharest? More than a bicycle, Pegas is a social project of all of
Andrei, as an owner of Bicicletele Pegas, do you believe that nostalgia plays a significant role in the human mind?
us, the Romanians. The fact that it offers a sentimental
(Laughing shyly)
product for a modest cost is a factor worth considering.
I believe all of us should have something of our own.
Most pieces are designed by us and manufactured in
Authenticity is what defines us, right? That’s how I
factories where the world’s best bicycles are made.
came up with this idea of reborn Bicicletele Pegas. The
A product needs to be in touch with the people’s needs,
long story short is that Pegas found me and that’s when
it has to perform, to improve their experience. When we
I realized its great potential. Not only as a business,
reinvented the Bicicletele Pegas brand, we thought that
but also as a need for authenticity mixed with some
both form and function should be important. It’s about
nostalgia and integrating future technology. I mostly
creating something that becomes part of our own reality.
try to bring the old Pegas into the future.
Is it a challenge to maintain authenticity of the brand while you plan to grow it?
What you are doing is amazing.
That’s the reason the Bicicletele Pegas was reborn:
learned a lot: what a business combined with passion
authenticity. A Romanian bicycle brand with a story
is and how these two work together. You need to have
that continues after our childhood ends. Pegas is not
a lot of perseverance and a strong dose of faith. And of
an unusual bicycle, it was just adapted to our modern
course, in life you should do what you like. If you make
lives with technology including different devices that
products like I do, you should always ask yourself:
improves the bike experience. Authenticity represents
would I buy that product if I were in the position of a
uncompromising decisions. Our products are very per-
customer? Always ask yourself this question and you’ll
sonal and we are planning to maintain this idea.
find out if you’re really doing a good job.
I never think of that. I am simply doing my best. I’ve
BUCHAREST
Sergey Poliakov
Vlad Stanescu
Vlad Stanescu
Why Bucharest? great stuff here. Not only for Bicicletele Pegas. You
Do you think that your hunger for technology applied to different devices will be ever satisfied?
might have heard this so many times that it has become
I am fascinated with things that are related to future
a cliché, but Bucharest is an intriguing place where you
technologies. I will invariably be.
I was born in Bucharest. I like it and you can do really
can really get things started.
Tell me more about your process of reinventing the idea of bicycles.
In this successful process of reinventing Bicicletele Pegas, what have you gained or lost? This whole project is fascinating. It grew and it became
The technical stuff you deal with is fairly complex.
part of my identity. I am trying to communicate this
It really does become a sort of therapy, it’s all about
sentiment every day to the people I work with. And
the relationship you create between the product, the
to the people who buy the Pegas: DO what you love,
people you work with, the customers and yourself. Of
CONNECT your IDEAS and LET IT HAPPEN. ¢
course, reading between the lines, seeing through the
bicicletapegas.ro
veneer is also important. It is about the ability to see the whole process. I often ask myself: are we understanding what’s fully happening? Have we looked far enough ahead, so that we’re not surprised by anything?
BUCHAREST
Vlad Stanescu
Sergey Poliakov
CULTURE
The ten faces of Bucharest When I came to Bucharest as an expat I was trying to find a visual reference for my feelings. I initially described the city as being very mixed. Cultural invasions, architectural styles, culinary traditions, and even the language sounds like something between Italian and Russian (which still didn’t help me to understand it). I decided to combine my passion for photography and sketching to reference this feeling by creating a notebook about my time in Bucharest, showing you ten types of situations you might come across when you’re here. Each represents a different part of the Bucharest identity. Words & artwork by SERGEY POLIAKOV
BUCHAREST
Am I an art object too? Sometimes Bucharest looks like an old European capital, like Vienna or Rome. But even then, there is always a reminder of its Romanian identity. For example, those letters on the gates.
Lost at the Sunday Flea Market The life of Bucharest hipsters is hidden. All the fancy brunch places based in old mansions are kept secret for tourists. In these mansions all kinds of things can happen for example, a Sunday Flea Market, where this guy seemed to feel a little lost.
I found a car inside the snow The winter in Bucharest was one of the snowiest that I’ve ever seen. The amounts of snow are amazing and during the toughest days your walk from home to work becomes some kind of adventure - you are trying not to get wet, not to get snow in your shoes and always look for the easiest way. Some cars were buried under the snow, so seeing people uncovering them was quite usual during that time.
Revolution in my phone Every day during the political protests we saw police cars outside of our building and people walking to the Victory square in a good mood. It looked more like they were going to a fun show, not a protest. Despite their good moods and their small victory, it seems the battle has only just begun.
Lazy day in the sun During summer, when the sun goes down and the neon lights of sex shops and erotic massage salons light up, you can find people lying in front of closed cinemas. This guy decided to take a break in the shadow on a sunny day.
Waiting for something Bucharest requires patience. It is okay to wait for the metro for six minutes or to stand in line while someone is pedantically counting coins to give to the cashier. One gets used to the culture of waiting.
Babushki ‘Babushki’ is a Russian word, used for grandmothers. Just like in Russia, you can find babushkas everywhere here. And a funny fact - they all look the same. Hair scarf, long skirts and colorful outfits. Maybe it is just something Orthodox?
In the Roman shadows Once upon a time modern Romania was part of the Roman Empire called Dacia. You can still find those Roman traces here. I was trying to find the best position to take a picture of the ugliest sculpture of the city, and somehow I found the most beautiful building in town on the other side. Combinations – that’s what defines Bucharest.
Bistro. Parisian style. This picture represents everything «Bucharestian» to me. An air-conditioner, a Parisian-style street sign, the relationship between the advertisement and the person in it and those soft lights coming from the cafe in the evening.
Foggy day in the city The weather in Bucharest is really surprising. Unlike Saint Petersburg, my hometown, where winter (halfwinter, half-autumn actually) lasts six months, Bucharest has a real summer, real fall and real winter. This picture was taken in the fall, when I wasn’t able to see anything outside looking from our window on the seventh floor.
LOCAL HEROES
Communicating the symphonic energy of Bucharest They call themselves Golan (Romanian for troublemakers) but these three young men are anything but hooligans or rascals. In fact, these musicians have a strong academic background that matches their eclectic music; a surprising combination of electronic sounds with instruments like trumpets, percussions, and their own voices. Time to uncover the story of Golan, the Bucharest based band that’s already opened for the likes of Parov Stelar and Róisín Murphy. Words by ADRIANA SPULBER Pictures by GOLAN
You went on tour with Parov Stelar and this summer you’ll be attending every major electronic music festival. Can you take us back to how everything started?
play what we want and how we want it and that’s all.
Golan started in 2013 as an electro musical project with
sanctuary, a project where everybody found himself.
Cuban and jazz rhythms. Alex was on holiday in Havana
Even those who are helping us share our philosophy.
This explains the improvisations in our performance as well. We are fortunate that our label, Etage Noir, gives us complete freedom to express ourselves. Golan is our
when he heard Ernesto play and he immediately asked him to come and make music in Romania. Alex’s leave Cuba and come to Europe. Several months later,
You are very particular about where and when you perform. Why is that?
Mihai joined the project and now the three of us are
We want Golan’s evolution to be a natural process. We
inseparable.
do not want to make the leap into mainstream music
professionalism and persistence convinced Ernesto to
artificially, so our listeners are the only indicator of
In your shows, you bring live instruments and even an orchestra. What makes your music sound so beautifully raw and hauntingly different every time?
success or fame. Never have we ever called a club or a festival to ask them to let us play there and this way we always took the pulse of our listeners. We can’t fool them and we certainly don’t fool ourselves. We cannot
We make music without having any kind of pressure,
offer anything else but our music, and we think over
we’re not trying to please anyone but ourselves. We just
exposing ourselves could alter our journey.
BUCHAREST
Alex and Mihai, you were born and raised in Bucharest. And Ernesto has been here for three years now. How and to what extent did this city influence Golan?
experience. I mean... we played our music at Alexandra
This project began in the streets of Bucharest. We used
European city. There are lots of good Romanian artists,
to go to parties where we listened to electronic music
and venues they can showcase their music at. If we had
and always thought that we should do something that
to compare, Berlin is probably the city that Bucharest
enabled us to take the stage with the artists we listened
resembles the most.
to. Bucharest also offered us a context for our project
Palace in London and that was a dream come true. But back to Bucharest’s music scene. Our city can offer the same range of parties, events and artists as any other
to grow and thrive, there were venues where we could
How do you experience Bucharest and its culture?
play and people that liked what we were doing. In a
People here live and breathe culture, from cinemato
way, Golan is the energy of Bucharest, filtered through
graphy to theaters and music, and even what they
our senses.
wear and where they go to eat. I (Mihai) personally
Is there a big difference between Bucharest and the other European cities you played in?
like to go to art galleries like the National Museum of Contemporary Art (MNAC), or go see a play at Godot Cafe. We get most of our inspiration from the clubs we
Bucharest is a very active city. And we say this after
go to, like Control or Eden and many more. Bucharest
touring almost every major city in Europe. We’d like to
has a good vibe for electronic music.
pause here and say that we were humbled by this whole
BUCHAREST
LOCAL HEROES
And what about you, Ernesto? What does a Cuban guy find to do in Bucharest and how do you experience Bucharest? I like to play ping-pong (chuckles). When I’m not making my own music, I like to listen to Brazilian or jazz music. There are many places where you can go and listen to ambient jazz music. Bucharest is similar to Havana in many ways, like the people and the architecture. The freedom I have here is what I like the most. The music gave me a second home.
“Golan is the energy of Bucharest, filtered through our senses.” You personally handle all your social media communication. How do you manage to do this, all by yourselves?
What’s next for Golan?
Easy. If someone, anyone, writes to us, we are happy to
album, which will contain all our songs and some new
engage in a conversation with him or her. After all, it’s
ones. We also shot a new video here in Bucharest, but
about a project we love, a passion of ours.
we don’t have a song for it yet. We had one, but we
Why wouldn’t we do it by ourselves? We like to stay in
changed our minds and now we are making a new
touch with our listeners because without them, we’d be
one to fit the visuals better. We want our videos to be
playing for ourselves.
extremely visually connected to the audio.
Is it cool to go and see Golan play? We don’t think so (chuckles). We don’t consider our-
Tell me one word that should summarize the sound of Golan.
selves to be that cool. Everything is simple with us. We
Melancholia.
Next year we will probably go on tour once again with Parov Stelar, but right now we are working on our first
just make music, without taking trends into account. We wear black T-shirts at our concerts because we
Golan launched their first album, named Intro, in April
don’t know how to dress on stage, what the appropriate
2017. Keep an eye on their tour schedule just in case
attire is. We can give you examples of cool bands, if
they come play in a city near you! ¢
you’d like? But for us, our focus is solely on our music.
facebook.com/golanmusic
So we hope our music is cool.
BUCHAREST
Our correspondents
ANTONIO LÓPEZ
MARTA AGUILAR
ROBIN COX
BIENVENIDO
Madrid A capital city in every sense of the word, brimming with creativity, always on the move, never afraid to embrace the new. One out of every five Madrilenians is an immigrant, which makes the city’s streets, its art, its identity and its gastronomical reputation an increasingly diverse sight to see. Still undeniable Spanish, but with a distinct international twist.
The world of Istituto Europeo di Design, where the future of fashion is designed La Casa Encendida: The Enlightened House Asian tastes flavoring Madrid’s gastronomy
CONTENTS
LOCAL HEROES
The world of Istituto Europeo di Design, where the future of fashion is designed On a glorious sunny day in Madrid, at the Istituto Europeo di Design (IED), we met up with Isabel Berz, IED’s Research and Education Center Director. While walking around campus, Isabel shared her vision on education with us. Words by ROBIN COX Pictures by KEVIN RIJNDERS
Hello Isabel, can you tell us about your role at IED?
So, I think the most important part is to make students
I’ve been the director of the Research and Education
aware that there are no definitions, others than the
Center of IED since 2016. This center is where we
definitions that you make yourselves.
develop special projects around the world. Before this, years.
What do you like most about fashion design in general?
At the fashion school, we were working with the stu-
Fashion design is a language: a designer has to express
dents and trying to get their real talents out, to identify
something. For me, every artist, film director or writer
the beauty they have inside of them.
has to express something, you have to tell a story. And
It’s really nice to see, after 4 years of studies, that they
fashion design for me is the same thing. You have to
become really aware of who they are and that they
build a story, a whole universe, and sometimes it’s
somehow accept that. That is the exciting part, to
something you don’t even really understand. There can
accept who we are within all these different aspects,
and should be a mystery around it and it has to provoke
both the good and bad things.
something, otherwise it doesn’t move on.
I directed the Fashion School at IED Madrid for twelve
For this reason, I like fashion design, but also the
It’s a personal journey, right, of gaining more confidence along the way…
technical part, and the human side of things, on which we focus a lot here at IED. Students are fragile, but you
Yes, confidence, but also accepting the fact that confi-
should be fragile all your life, since it’s not a bad thing.
dence isn’t always there. Usually you have to achieve
Enjoy the process, it’s not only about the result. Even if
a result, at school, and in life, you have to show some-
it’s not perfect, in an objective way, or doesn’t fit, these
thing and everything is so definable. Success is defined,
are the projects that I love the most.
life is defined, everything is defined. And I don’t believe in those definitions.
MADRID
LOCAL HEROES
So, you somehow catch them by surprise, since most students expect to start with learning about patterns, textiles, and so on.
everything came together. I was invited to do shows,
At IED, it’s not about the result. It is not just about
needed distribution. I had to go to Paris to show my
their collections, since our students can also create
collections to an international market to start selling
a magazine, a service… the focus lies on creating a
in stores in the US and Japan.
won a prize, but also realized that doing a show didn’t really help, since you receive recognition but not the
project which can function as a unique experience something in line with fashion.
And how did you start working and teaching for IED?
Fashion is not the product. We make things that express
Well actually, I was called when IED Madrid opened
the moment! Students gain understanding of this
twenty years ago, when I was still running my own
concept with time.
brand. I was very young and didn’t know how to teach,
in everyone’s life. It could be anything, but of course
but loved working with people and the students. I joined IED in 1995 as a teacher and afterwards I
“If you see a textile, you need to know where it’s from. With creativity you have to start at the beginning.”
became the director of the final exam projects. I was also part of the Committee Scientifico, who asked me to put down a strong vision for a fashion school, which we eventually did and executed.
How has IED changed over the years? I’m very curious myself and always ask my students to analyze the world; what is going on, what would be interesting to do. Researching together with them is very interesting and there are quite a lot students from that time that are doing very exciting things at the moment.
But it also needs to be very tangible and practical?
Since I’m a designer, not an academic, I like to look at projects and ways of working with students in a more
Of course, in our society today, we expect something
creative way.
new every day. Perhaps a message isn’t right today, but
These days, at IED Rec, we are preparing a new aca-
instead it might be relevant the day after tomorrow. It’s
demic concept to create a space where people can come
very much about timing nowadays, and that’s where
and work, and have access to everything they need to
we start. Our students make things that are not even
create. Each student has to define their personality and
ready for the market yet, but will connect at the right
interests and find out how he or she wants to work in
moment.
this space. From nature, to the industrial side, from sewing to
And you worked in fashion yourself?
digital. All of it in all areas, with full access to tools
I had my own brand as a fashion designer for 10 years,
and people who are experienced. The physical and
after studying in Paris and starting in the industry
emotional part here are both as important. A school
in Milan. I then moved to Madrid, where by chance
should reflect how 15 to 25-year-olds actually feel today.
MADRID
“Fashion is not the product. We make things that express the moment!�
LOCAL HEROES
“There shouldn’t be teachers, there should be tutors, same as there are no students, they are researchers, and the school is not about seats, it’s about being a workspace.” That also means you’ll have to change teachers…
But there’s also a big influence of fast fashion, with the
Well, there shouldn’t be teachers, there should be
likes of INDITEX, who own brands like Zara, Bershka,
tutors, same as there are no students, they are research-
and Mango. Lots of our students start working for
ers, and the school is not about seats, it’s about being a
INDITEX, since it’s the biggest textile company in
workspace.
the world, located in La Coruna, the Silicon Valley of
And the workspace is not just about the industrial
fashion. They want the best talents in the world and can
process, but also about the digital, and everything
get nearly everyone they want.
the two have in common, and the nature of materials
So many students go work for larger fashion brands, but
is fundamental. If you see a textile, you need to know
we have students that also go international, working for
where it’s from. With creativity you have to start from
the likes of Alexander McQueen, Kenzo, Lanvin, Acne,
the beginning.
Chloé, and so on. And we have lots that do their own
If you want to look at the future, you also have to look
projects, work as freelancers or start their own brand.
backwards, back to the origins and then mix it up with
But in general, you do see an important artisanal
the now, which is very exciting.
movement in Madrid, with talented individuals ope
So, you’re in the midst of the transition, from old to new…
ning small shops. The whole area around our school has changed over the last fifteen years. It’s a maker’s culture where people want to know the origins of a
It’s a beginning of something new, right now we’re
product. And they are just fine making a living like that,
preparing the first Fashion & Technology Research
to not be internationally renowned.
Program, a pilot project, working with a lot of partners We will select twenty-five talents from all over the
Do you stay in touch with most of the students after graduation?
world, from fashion designers, and industrial designers
In 10 years I got to know hundreds of students and
to visual artists, biologists, chemists, coders, and so on,
have always worked with them in their final year on
and put them all together and see what they can think of.
the graduation project. But there are always special
who support us with knowledge, materials and expertise.
How would you describe fashion culture in Madrid? It has a long tradition. Forty years ago every woman had
ones, who became close friends. Also in Paris, when I visit, I see them and it’s nice, because they are my little heroes. After all, we are just people…
a seamstress for the love of craft and beautiful clothing. Madrid has had a fashion week for over twenty-five
The designer featured here is Manuela Fidalgo, creator
years, which is very long, and every five years they are
of Verbo Studio. ¢
part of the Mercedes-Benz calendar, which is quite an
ied.edu
important achievement.
MADRID
CULTURE
La Casa Encendida: The Enlightened House Contemporary art fans. Children running around. Nobel Prize winners. Teens who lie down to listen to electronic music. Students in the library. Radio speakers. Techies creating. Moviegoers. Rock stars. Immigrants learning Spanish (for free). Experts in armed conflicts. Ecologists. Or just coffee lovers. If you are seeking for the soul of La Casa Encendida, you will find it in the people wandering the corridors, halls and auditoriums. Please, come on in! Words & pictures by MARTA AGUILAR
A “Monte de Piedad” reincarnation
Madrid was then starting to grow fast, and a savings
It’s May 1, 1967. A woman comes down the stairs of
bank was required for the growing economy. Looking
La Casa Encendida on her wedding day. She lived and
more like a palace than a financial institution, the new
worked there, back when the building was a far cry from
Neo-Mudéjar style building had three stories, a cellar
what it is now. It was a charitable pawnshop and a bank,
that served as a shelter during the Spanish Civil War
a well-known Lavapiés neighborhood institution. But
(1936-1939), two big towers, and one of the capital’s
back then Lavapiés wasn’t the neighborhood we know
first electric elevators.
today. It was known for an oil station and the Mount of
The bank and pawnshop workers still remember plenty
Piety. Seventy-year-old neighbors still remember how
of sewing machines among all the pawned objects.
they grew up facing the La Casa building, playing in the
It was a poor pawnshop where no jewelry or golden
sand box across the street and buying fresh milk from
coins came through the door. The neighborhood was
the cowshed the next street over. The city was growing
a poor one, and its residents only had basic objects to
rapidly, and this newly established bank was opening
be pawned. There’s a legendary story of an old man in
the gate to many other worlds.
the neighborhood, who would pawn his mattress each
The La Casa Encendida building used to serve as a
year to be able to afford tickets to the San Isidro Bullfight
home for the workers of this banking and pawnshop
Festival. By the time the festival was almost finished, the
center. The first stone was placed on May 1, 1911,
man would sell his last ticket to get his mattress back.
and the bank officially opened its doors a year later.
MADRID
CULTURE
Enlightening people
new talent, a creative laboratory, and a meeting place
The first bank of the south of Madrid is now more
for anyone who wants to stop by. Spend a few days at
than one hundred years old. Fifteen years ago, it was
La Casa Encendida and you might see an art exhibition
transformed into the most important cultural center of
about libraries, attend a children’s book fair, participate
Lavapiés, which has turned popular and cosmopolitan
in a gardening course or learn all about community
over the years. La Casa Encendida (The Enlightened
activism.
House) was originally to be called La Casa de Empeños
Over the years, La Casa Encendida became part of the
(The Pawnshop), but they dismissed this idea because
Montemadrid Foundation, which works with several
times had changed. Nobody pawned anything anymore
projects like schools, social institutions, and so on.
in those days, so nobody understood the meaning of
They are active on a smaller scale now, because, as
it. Now, 15 years later, La Casa still hosts a myriad of
Lucía told us, they used to get a percentage of their
cultural activities, workshops and courses, enlightening
funding from some social work and corporate social
people along the way. The heroes behind this project are
responsibility initiatives from banks, but they don’t
many. They are a group of enthusiasts, one that’s been
count on that anymore.
evolving and incorporating new, younger members to fill the house with a new energy. We talked to one of them, Lucía Casani, communications director of La Casa Encendida, who walked us through what exactly this enlightening is all about.
Crossing paths, connecting fields La Casa’s founder and ideologue was José Guirao, who left the center three years ago to run the Fundación Montemadrid. When La Casa started he was leaving
“This is exactly what we aim for: to be a meeting point, to provide people with spaces to make them come together.”
a position as director of the Reina Sofía Museum and was already a well-known manager, but to the organization’s surprise, he asked for a team of inexperienced
“We are now going through an interesting phase since
twentysomethings to work with on this new venture.
we are a private foundation with a public vocation. That
Including Lucía, who was only 24 years old at the time.
means we can win in both areas. Regarding the public
As it turns out, this was exactly the breath of fresh air
aspect, you have to listen to more people involved,
the project needed. They started to gather ideas of what
and the private side helps us take more risks to bet on
they would love to see in Madrid, the kind of things
more ideas. The aim has always been to get to different
nobody else was doing yet.
audiences, and it’s something that, despite all the
In a nutshell, La Casa Encendida is many different
changes, La Casa keeps on pursuing.”
things all at once. It is a cultural center showcasing arts, music, literature, and cinema, as well as a social center
Culture, solidarity, environment, and education
promoting social integration and community involve-
But how does this diversification take form? They
ment. It’s also a non-formal education center, a forum
work mainly in four different areas: culture, solidarity,
for social and environmental debates, a platform for
environment, and education.
MADRID
“We like all four areas to cross paths in our activities.
everybody with these values, but the truth is that this is
That’s how we manage to reach different audiences
also a big everyday effort, and it also costs money. The
that would never have discovered La Casa if we would
most important thing is to teach people to value quality
have put the focus on one topic only,” Lucía explains.
and the value of a thing itself ”, says Lucía.
La Casa Encendida is a mix between what a regular cultural institution would be, like a modern art museum
The next 15 years
or an international organization, and a common cul
La Casa Encendida is now also a resource center, offer-
tural community center.
ing free Wi-Fi. A simple service, but one that attracts a
One of the successes of La Casa Encendida is its rela-
diverse group of people to come in to gather and min-
tionship with the Embajadores and Lavapiés neigh
gle. Some might come just to study or to work, but when
borhoods, and the squaring of the circle formed by
they’re there they might discover a new art exhibition
contemporary creation and critical thinking for all
or meet somebody interesting. This builds connections
audiences. Francisco Javier Ruiz, president of the
and networks. “This is exactly what we aim for: to be a
neighborhood association La Corrala, insists that La
meeting point, to provide people with spaces to make
Casa Encendida is like Lavapiés itself, very diverse and
them come together.”
open to all. According to most of the neighbors, La Casa
Looking ahead to the next 15 years, things might change
was one of the first institutions in the area that became
drastically, or they might not. Being able to create
cultural and social, at a time when there was absolutely
projects that spark curiosity and start conversations is
nothing of the sort there. And it has meant something
already a big success and something to aim for. La Casa
fabulous for the area.
Encendida will always be an inflection point in Madrid’s
Accessibility and sustainability are the main driving
cultural and social landscape, and it will definitely keep
forces for the La Casa Encendida’s team. “The dream
enlightening many more minds along the way. ¢
is to keep the essence of being an open space for
lacasaencendida.es
MADRID
FOOD
Asian tastes flavoring Madrid’s gastronomy Foodies. They’re everywhere these days. Who isn’t one? With our inherent love for food, Spanish people might be seen as the ‘original’ foodies. We live for food, and gastronomy defines our cities. Cities like Madrid, which are always changing, always evolving. And with them, the food culture evolves as well, moving forward along with the people it serves, picking up influences from digital culture and the city’s new residents. So foodies, meet Madrid’s non-traditional food culture. Words by MARTA AGUILAR Pictures by ANTONIO LÓPEZ
MADRID
FOOD
Social encounters with quality food: is it here to stay or
at a new restaurant called The Japanese Burrito, which
just a fleeting trend? Social media is now our personal
serves a giant sushi roll in the shape of a burrito. We
guide to food culture, a way to navigate evolving food
love to experiment, and Asia is giving us all the flavors
trends. But being exposed to these social networks
and inspiration to create new experiences. So get out
means there’s a permanent pressure and anxiety to
there and explore the diverse menus of Lavapiés, and
know which option is the very best. Going out for dinner
Salamanca or Malasaña!
has become more like going to the theater, where every detail of the performance counts and the experience is
Multiculturalism through food
rated by how ‘instagrammable’ it was.
The best thing about this new food trend isn’t just
On the other hand, maybe this digitalization and glo-
the new, super authentic places coloring our neigh
balization of food culture is also the reason why we feel
borhoods, but also the more traditional Spanish menus
more attracted to and interested in the gastronomic
adopting Asian flavors and mixing them with our
legacies of countries far away from home. It takes us
own cuisine. We’re getting closer to our immigrant
much closer to other food cultures, and we get curious.
neighbors by getting to know them through their food.
In Madrid, Asian food culture is one of the biggest new
For us food-loving Spanish, there’s no better way to
influences in town. Perhaps thanks to social media,
embrace another culture than to create a dish out of it.
but definitely thanks to the city’s large immigrant
Because there will be no better conversations than the
population. One out of every five Madrilenians is an
ones shared over a table covered in delicious food. We
immigrant. And together with the South American and
might never tire of our Spanish tapas, but we certainly
Romanian population, Madrid’s Chinese population is
can enhance these traditional dishes by adding a little
one of the largest immigrant populations in town, and
taste of new ingredients, and continue to evolve and
has had a huge influence on Madrid’s neighborhoods.
be proud of our gastronomy with all the new influences
And with that influence also comes food.
coming our way. ¢
Embracing the new Chinese restaurants have been around in Madrid for some decades already, but were always seen as more of an exotic concept. Worth a visit once, but too foreign to embrace as our own gastronomy. This perception has changed with the food trends invading the capital recently. Not just Chinese food, but Asian food in general has come to Madrid to stay, and Madrilenians are embracing it as their own. Walk through the streets of Tirso de Molina and enter a Thai street food market to smell the scent of real bao or steaming ramen soup. Keep walking and you will find a specialty bao place next to a tortilla bar. And we haven’t even mentioned sushi yet, something us Madrid dwellers just can’t get enough of. This Spanish-Asian fusion is most evident
MADRID
Artist in Residence How do artists influence the city they live in, and how does the city influence them? Would they be the same artist if they lived somewhere else, or does a specific urban environment have a profound impact on their practice? Artist In Residence explores these questions and more by showcasing artists from a specific field in different cities. First up: five successful fashion designers from Seattle, Bucharest, Madrid, Bristol and Amsterdam. Gatekeepers of our sense of urban fashion and influencers of style.
Kevin Rijnders
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE AMSTERDAM
Anbasja Blanken What made you become a fashion designer? I always liked to create things that make people happy and I have found it in creating beautiful garments that empower women. Where in the city do you take your inspiration from? A lot of inspiration comes from the different people roaming around in the city. The diversity within their flow inspires me the most.
Personally, I wouldn’t mind seeing a little bit more elegance on the streets here, but I do like it! If we see you again five years from now, what do you hope your life will look like? I hope to have found the balance between being an international brand / designer and enjoying life to the fullest. While still being immersed in creating amazing garments that I endorse.
How do you think your city influences people’s fashion choices? And do you like it? I think Amsterdam as a whole is a free spirit (and open-minded), which creates space for diversity between people and their fashion choices.
alablanka.com anbasjablanken.com
Andra Andreescu
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE BUCHAREST
Andra Andreescu What made you become a fashion designer? I wanted to be able to connect, create, inspire and be inspired by other people around the world.
on with their everyday activities. But I feel like in Bucharest, there is also room for intellect and improvement. I feel like there is enough space left to fill with creativeness and content.
Where in the city do you take your inspiration from? The city itself inspires me, the harmonious blending of so many different influences, its eclectic style and the history of the old corners of Bucharest. Also, going out to different events and seeing the looks of my friends is always inspiring.
If we see you again five years from now, what do you hope your life will look like? In five years I will own a house outside the city, where I will wake up pretty early to feed the chickens and the dogs, make myself a cup of tea, crawl back into bed and read the news/catch up on emails. My days will consist of a little rest and relaxation, a little productivity and creativity on some of my projects and a little activity. I will still have my business next to all the other smart entrepreneurs of Bucharest, selling all over the planet and extending to the moon.
How do you think your city influences people’s fashion choices? And do you like it? Bucharest is a city where anyone can feel at home, so I think people feel comfortable with wearing anything that allows them to have fun and go
andraandreescu.ro
Saltaire Life
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE SEATTLE
Jancy Quinn What made you become a fashion designer? My best friend and I have been obsessed with fashion and textiles since we met in the seventh grade. We always talked about starting our own apparel line and dabbled with various business ideas. We both love travel, global textiles and discovering new trends. We had talked for years but finally everything came together with kimonos. It was a bit serendipitous, and has been really fun the whole way. Saltaire Life is a new company, but it’s the result of a twenty-five-year journey and friendship. Where/what in the city do you take your inspiration from? The water - we created our name from the ocean influence in Seattle. We were trying to find a name for our company and after brainstorming ocean names all day, we finally left the house and passed a building with Saltaire written on the side of it...across the street from the water. There is also a large Asian influence in Seattle, I have always admired the beauty and intention of Japanese art and design. We adore each kimono as they are truly each a work of art. I have a hard time letting them go, actually.
How do you think your city influences people’s fashion choices? And do you like it? Seattle has a very clear influence: the rain! There is a very practical side to fashion here and it is often subdued, we have generally mild temperatures but wet conditions most of the year. To counter that, our kimonos are the opposite of practical. They are all about breaking out of functional wear and celebrating fun and eccentric moments. We wanted to create bold and whimsical creations to shake up the grey. If we see you again five years from now, what do you hope your life will look like? You really never know what tomorrow will bring. We only started our collection a short time ago and are already amazed with the momentum and energy around our line. I would love to see us extend to new offerings and can’t wait to see how this continues to evolve. And no matter what, I strive to continue to keep re-use, upcycling and repurposing at the heart of what we do. I want to continue pushing to have responsible and domestic production, and find ways to elevate women globally. I hope that we continue to find fun and joy every step of the way.
saltairelife.com
Morgane Bigault
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE BRISTOL
Kate Uzzell What made you become a fashion designer? At Antiform, we’ve all been making clothes since we were very young. We had various internships whilst studying, which were fantastic, but we came to the conclusion that the mainstream fashion industry is not at all where we were at. We realized that our love and drive for clothing people came from wanting to create positive change in a sometimes less than inspiring industry. We continue to think creatively about how to make all the good stuff happen in a way that we can be proud of. In essence, we are makers. Where in the city do you take your inspiration from? People. Antiform has had two homes, the brand was set up in Yorkshire, but then moved to Bristol. Since moving down here we discovered many inspiring new networks. In Bristol, people are interested in where their food comes from and in creative approaches to housing, we want to add fashion to that awareness agenda. Through working with local suppliers and makers we create products shaped by the fact that we are in this place. Old Market plays a large part in our identity, as it is where we collaborate with other amazing creative businesses, such as the brilliant Ottowin Footwear.
How do you think your city influences people’s fashion choices? And do you like it? Bristol was European Green Capital of 2015, and although there is a healthy sharing economy and people are very comfortable with recycling, sometimes people don’t make the connection between clothing design and green issues. Bristol is an independent city, but there is not a huge amount of independent fashion retail offered and we think there could be more. If we see you again five years from now, what do you hope your life will look like? We would love to have a regular retail space in Bristol to share with the other amazing creative makers we know. It is important to us to keep responding to other creatives and to keep collaborating. Making the link with the public and how people use and respond to their clothing is important, so we’d like to have more interaction with the public. First steps on this path will be taken this year, with the Studio 1A Makers Club clothing workshops. We are also excited to further our unisex, lifestyle and interior collections.
antiformonline.co.uk
Marta Aguilar
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE MADRID
Raquel Zorraquín What made you become a fashion designer? Since I was a child, I have been always into fashion. Actually, I loved arts and fashion, and my dream was studying and working in both. For me, they are so connected, because fashion is like painting on a body in 3-D, and it is all about expressing yourself. The first thing you see on someone is their style, personality, and yes, everybody judges a book by its cover. So, that’s why fashion is so important to me.
How do you think your city influences people’s fashion choices? And do you like it? Madrid is a big cultural city where you can dress any way you like. But to be honest, the people are not very open minded yet, so that affects your choice. Inditex, a giant fashion retailer, is everywhere, and lots of people buy their clothes there. That’s Spain. But if you want to see a little bit of art in people’s outfits, Malasaña is the place to go.
Where in the city do you take your inspiration from? I do everything in my room. From the researching to sewing. But I do like going around to young neighborhoods like Malasaña, where I can watch people’s outfits. But mainly my inspiration comes from fashion pictures, music, art, and Bowie (yes, Bowie)...
If we see you again five years from now, what do you hope your life will look like? I would love to accomplish many things in five years, but my ambition is quite realistic, and I am happy if I can just make a living with my company. But what I would really love is to be living in another big city, like Berlin, Japan, New York or London (if we are allowed to still live there by then...). Traveling makes me happy. If I can bring all my company there and still be successful, oh god that would be heaven.
raquelzorraquin.com
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Our correspondents
MORGANE BIGAULT
WELCOME
Bristol Perhaps the most telling historical tidbit about Bristol is that the city gave birth to both Britain’s most notorious pirate, and the world’s most revered graffiti artist. Blackbeard and Banksy both call Bristol home. A typical port city where history peeks through a multicultural, vibrant and slightly quirky urban environment.
The Old Bookshop Why printed products matter in a digital world Bristol Urban Landscape
CONTENTS
HOSPITALITY
The Old Bookshop On Bristol’s North Street, just south of the river, lies The Old Bookshop. A pub, a legend. We meet the owner, Ben Gatt, and when we arrive, he takes us through the story of his venture as if he’s rehearsing for a grand performance. Words & pictures by MORGANE BIGAULT & ED THOMAS
“I used to live in Chepstow, South Wales, and it wasn’t
We’ve always kept the same format: good food, good
far to come for a night out in Bristol. I loved it, it’s got
drink and live music.
a great vibe. I was in the building industry, fitting a lot
We’re not the biggest place, so I can’t pay people as
of kitchens and bathrooms – a very different job. A lot
much as I’d like, but a few years ago we introduced
of our work was in Bristol, so I had been coming here
cocktails and we offer a nice experience to bands
10 years before moving. There was nothing to keep me
coming – I always try and give them as many free drinks
in South Wales so I made the move, and didn’t know
as I can.
anyone here – but it’s the best thing I’ve done.
My music tastes are quite broad, but if it’s Nick Cave
When we first opened, it was just the one half of the
or Prince, I’m sold. I take the sound very seriously, and
store, so it has developed since. The bit we’re in now
when we have someone in, it’s about making them feel
actually used to be a beauty salon. My father and I have
at home. Because I’ve done that, I get a lot of people
done everything in here ourselves: every tile, the bar,
contacting me now. It just evolved naturally.” ¢
the kitchen, the toilets. We had a big yard space at our last home, so we collected a lot of stuff over the years. The RNLI poster is an original. My dad has a vintage lifeboat, two actually, both restored – this is one of the 1940s posters. We have this time machine, with a whisky still. It’s built from engine parts, and other stuff we’ve cobbled together. The last two years we’ve been doing pop-up restaurants, so every month the food changes, with a different chef. We’re going back to a permanent chef now, but we’re not stopping the pop-ups... they are moving to a secret new location! We do a little side promotion as well, so we have people come from other venues in Bristol and put on shows.
BRISTOL
“We had a big yard space at our last home, so we collected a lot of stuff over the years.�
LOCAL HEROES
Why printed products matter in a digital world If you’re looking for a spot in Bristol to get inspired for all your creative endeavors, Papersmiths is the place to be. Owner Sidonie Warren tells us why print is not dead. Words & pictures by MORGANE BIGAULT
When and where did you start Papersmiths?
championing the work of lots of print designers, the
The Papersmiths journey began somewhere between
name just came out.
January and March 2013. Kyle Clark and I were running business to Bristol. We took this shop unit on Perry
Could you explain more specifically why this area of Bristol, Clifton Village?
Road in the Arts’ quarter. Our studio was called Some
First, the building came up and it could offer the space
thing Good and we decided to turn half the studio into
of a design studio as well as a shop floor. We also real-
a shop, which we called Something Else.
ized that this area was a lot busier than where we were
a design studio in Bridport. We decided to move the
originally. A lot of locals as well as tourists come here
Could you explain the change of name, going with Papersmiths?
because it is a shopping destination. As soon as we started we made more sales, and could afford to bring
In 2014 we were outgrowing our space: running a shop and a design studio simultaneously from one room
more stationery to the people of Bristol.
became a bit too much. Our clients started shopping
Who’s behind Papersmiths?
during meetings, it just got really difficult to manage the
Kyle Clark and I dreamt up the idea and we own the
two in one space. We saw the space where we currently
business. I work really closely with Rebecca Lee who
are in Clifton Village, a four-story Georgian building.
is the shop manager but works with me a lot on the
When we made that leap, we understood it was the
marketing and buying and does all the copywriting.
perfect opportunity to redefine what we were doing and
We also have six part-time people running the shop.
rather than being a design store we decided to focus on
Finally, Rachel Brown does the amazing photography
our passion: stationery and paper. Because we were
of all our products that you see on Instagram.
“People want something tactile, since we’re in such a digital age and everyone does everything on a device.” BRISTOL
“Magazines are important nowadays because the internet gives us such an overwhelming amount of information which isn’t usually curated.”
LOCAL HEROES
Do you have a relationship with the people behind the products that you sell?
What is attracting people to come into Papersmiths?
We’ve got a mixture of relationships going on. When we
Stationery is a kind of obsession for many people, so
started out it was all direct with makers and designers.
that’s one reason. There’s also the environment in the
Now, as we have a massive shop to fill, there are over
shop where people come and can browse magazines and
a hundred print publications and over three hundred
books and get their own inspiration. Our big windows
different products. The relationships I do have directly
help; people can peer in. Something that is quite unique
with designers and makers are amazing, as we’ve been
at Papersmiths is our team. Our team working on the
working together for a couple of years. When I went to
shop floor all have an outside interest in stationery;
the stationery show in New York this year, I met with
they are designers, photographers, or they’ve studied
all the card designers there, some of them we went out
fashion and they bring really good conversation to the
for dinner with and it was amazing to turn this working
shop floor and can relate to the customers.
relationship into a real-life one. We do work with some in particular. I source them from the big magazine
So people are attracted visually by a certain minimalist style?
distributors. Then I work locally with the Bristol Inde
People say so. For me it’s just how we’ve always done
pen dent Publisher Group and purchase magazines
things. From my first experience in retail at American
directly from the editors.
Apparel, we color blocked everything and this had an
distribution companies as well, for the magazines
impact on my compulsive color blocking style that we use now for our display. There’s a real sense of order and I like things to be in threes, it works for merchandising and it’s appealing to people. There’s also a mixture of the contemporary and traditional.
Can you tell us about the selection of magazines you sell, as there are hundreds of good ones now on the market? It is really difficult. We stock about one hundred titles and we’ve got room for just that. But even though magazines have taken up a huge space, we try to keep a limited amount by offering a broad range across diffe rent themes: design, food and drinks, interior, architecture, music, lifestyle, fashion, a decent mix. When it comes to making the selection, there’s an element of personal interest, of specific themes we imagine customers would be interested in. There’s also the titles that work and which we’ve been selling for a couple of years. Those can guarantee 30 to 40 copies sold in sales.
BRISTOL
Is print dead or are we witnessing a revival? I don’t think print is dead. It’s very much alive actually
To some extent, is Papersmiths a source of inspiration for Bristolians?
and there’s almost a backlash against the digital
I hope Papersmiths provides a space where people
culture. We have greeting cards on our shelves that
can come in, spend some time in a trunk with a non-
aren’t digitally printed, on the contrary! They are using
pressure retail environment and just browse and if they
techniques such as risograph, silk screen, boiling letter
go away with something that inspires them to create,
press, there’s a real movement and resurgence of those.
that’s amazing!
People also want something tactile, since we’re in such a digital age and everyone does everything on a device.
Would you ever consider opening another shop, locally, nationally, internationally?
Why are magazines important in a digital world?
We’ve just opened a shop in Shoreditch, London, which
Magazines are important nowadays because the
is the best reward after 6 years adventure! We are also
internet gives us such an overwhelming amount of
focusing on our online presence and marketing so
information which isn’t usually curated. And when it
watch this space! ¢
is, it’s generally done by a platform like Facebook. We
papersmiths.co.uk
live in a social bubble where the information comes in quite biased. I’m a real advocate for diversity, the publications on our shelves have a focus on a particular theme and can go into a huge amount of depth. They have well thought-out articles written by editors putting hours of research and time into their work. I also really value tactility and the feeling of paper and the smell of ink, you just don’t get that online.
BRISTOL
NEIGHBORHOODS
Bristol Urban Landscape Bristol. The UK’s first cycling city. European Green Capital of 2015. Proud carrier of its own currency, the Bristol Pound. Summer festival central and home to a variety of historical, classic landmarks. Bristol has many faces, and can be described in many different ways. But the best and only way to experience this alternative port city, is to free your mind, open your heart, and just wander. Pictures by MORGANE BIGAULT
BRISTOL
Bristolians are fiercely proud of their city. They’re a diverse lot, but a sense of community and togetherness permeates every street corner, local deli, maker space, market square and music venue.
Colorful expressions of artistic personalities dot the streets of Bristol. Graffiti at its best, transforming facades, dark corners, bridges and tunnels into works of art. It’s no wonder Banksy started his illustrious career right here in these streets.
The river Avon cuts through the heart of the city, and has sparked a lively yet creative Harbourside where independent art galleries and tech businesses coexist.
Our correspondents
KEYHÉ DELSINK
ROBYN COLLINGE
RICHARD RIGBY
MIO VAN DER MEI
WELKOM
Amsterdam You can spend weeks wandering around Amsterdam, and you still wouldn’t be able to make sense of the contradiction between its picturesque vibe and notorious night life. There’s a whole world hidden behind the city’s infamous drug-friendly, tolerant society. And just when you think you’ve got the city figured out, someone takes you on a boat ride to a self-sufficient island, and you begin your journey of discovery all over again.
Examining the Normalization of Drug Use in Amsterdam Wining, Dining, and Isling: Sustainability on Vuurtoreneiland Amsterdam Underground
CONTENTS
CULTURE
Examining the Normalization of Drug Use in Amsterdam From the boundless ‘80s to the city’s contemporary drug scene, the normalization of drug use in Amsterdam is a complicated, multifaceted development. Education is the key to making sure normalization can be embraced without any dangerous consequences. Words by KEYHÉ DELSINK Pictures by RICHARD RIGBY
Outsider’s view
this was considered normal in Amsterdam; openly
It’s Friday night, and I’m taking a friend from New York
speaking about every single substance that God has
out for a night on the town in Amsterdam to show him
forbidden. My answer: yes, it is.
our unrestrained clubbing scene. It was summertime:
My friend’s shocked reaction made me realize how
the perfect season to visit Amsterdam. The city gains
normalized our drug culture has become compared to
a boundless energy once the warmer months come
other countries, and that apparently, millennials here
around. I decided we would start slowly with some
don’t have any kind of boundaries or hesitations when
drinks at one of our local bars. I told him a bit about our
speaking on the subject. Where does this behavior come
culture and surprised him with the fact that we do a lot
from? Is this something from our generation, or did the
more in our spare time than just smoking J’s.
generation before us lay out the foundation for it? What
In the middle of our conversation, someone I know
makes Amsterdam the city without boundaries, where
came over to say hi. I introduced the American kid, and
you can use whatever you want and be totally cool
it didn’t take long before the three of us started talking
about it? And are there any consequences?
about Amsterdam’s massive portfolio of festivals. The guy asked me which festivals I was going to and then
The vibrant ‘80s
bragged about this new designer drug he was about to
In order to understand the behavior of my generation,
use next weekend. Within two minutes my American
generation Y (also known as the ‘Pills Generation’), we
friend saw the conversation escalate from a close chat
need to dig into the city’s vibrant urban cultural history
between friends to an open talk about our recreational
during the ‘80s. Amsterdam has gone through many
drug use. He was left open-mouthed and asked me if
stages of social rationalizing, stimulated by the younger
“The government prefers that users are taking the drugs responsibly rather than hunting them down and putting them behind bars.” AMSTERDAM
CULTURE
generations in charge at the time. The ‘80s were an era
scene a couple of years ago as a legal alternative to
when people wanted to be freed from any kind of dogma
XTC. 2-CB is on the rise thanks to some proper word of
or politically controlled mindset. Unsurprisingly, a ram
mouth promotion. Even though these newcomers are
pant self-interest mentality was an important theme
welcomed with open arms by the Amsterdam clubbing
during this decade. Ecstasy (XTC) was considered the
scene, little is known about their short and long-term
perfect new drug to cater to this free mindset and thus
side effects. And that’s where it gets tricky, because
left its mark on Amsterdam’s party scene.
most millennials are just going for it without knowing
During the late ‘80s, house music made its way over
what they’re actually consuming. A behavior we can
from England. It’s the kind of music that matches
most certainly attribute to the normalization and con-
one’s high state of mind perfectly. Legendary clubs
sumerization of drug use in the Netherlands.
like Club RoXY and the iT were the first ones to pick up on the house movement and started organizing tons of events. But Amsterdammers were mostly clueless about how to use drugs responsibly, and back then speaking about drugs wasn’t quite as accepted as it is now. The government became aware of the new drug trend, and prohibited many of the parties around the city. But it didn’t take long before the city got its festive vibe back again, thanks to the return of house music
“Most Amsterdammers consider the use of drugs as ‘the greatest bad idea’.”
in 1991. ‘Work hard, play hard’ was the new motto of many Amsterdammers, and together with that new
That being said, we also have to highlight the individuals
motto came a new type of drug user who could easily
that are actually doing their homework first before
afford several lines of various substances; anything to
choosing which drugs they’re going to use, perhaps
keep you going.
as a response to the recklessness of their peers. These people can be found in the Amsterdam millennial
Newcomers
in-crowd, around 25 to 30 years old. Young adults who
Fast forward to where we stand now: society has
want to be in the know, and are quite able to say what
changed, and the government has changed with it. The
the best way of using drugs is. They know where to buy
party scene nowadays is very mixed and a true melting
them, and how to make smart choices. How they know,
pot of many subcultures: from hipsters and ravers to
you’re asking? They inform one another. Something
gays and snobs. Most of them are young adults who
the Amsterdam government is trying to do as well,
want to escape reality and get a break from their daily
whether it’s via public television shows where the hosts
struggles and tedious lives by using drugs. And now
are testing the drugs themselves and reporting on their
adays, Amsterdam has a lot more to offer than just
experience, or with a ‘Test your Drugs’ stand at the
XTC. Ketamine, 4-Fluoroamphetamine, GHB, and
annual Amsterdam Dance Event. The government
2-CB are just a few new kids on the block. These might
prefers that users are taking the drugs responsibly rather
sound like robots from a cheesy sci-fi film, yet they’re
than hunting them down and putting them behind bars.
anything but alien to the Amsterdam crowd. 4-FMP is
It’s a very different approach compared to other cities
quite new in town and made its silent entry onto the
and countries around the world.
AMSTERDAM
But even though there is a group of people who feel some
divided it into two different groups: the ones who are in
sort of responsibility for their drug use, responsible still
the know, and the ones who think they are, but actually
isn’t the word you would use to describe their behavior.
aren’t. The first group of users is responsible and
“Most Amsterdammers consider the use of drugs as
educate one another. The second group is boundless,
‘the greatest bad idea’,” explains Mike (35) who has
and clueless when it comes to drugs. They have a more
lived in the city most of his life. “The little voice in the
‘screw you’ attitude, picking and mixing their way
back of our head says it’s bad, but the drugs still beat
through drug land.
common sense.” This is a trend that worries me, knowing that this group
Reality check
won’t educate itself anytime soon.
After his confrontation with Amsterdam’s drug culture,
The Amsterdam municipality is doing its best, but you
my New Yorker friend soon realized that drugs in our
can tell that they’re still trying to identify the different
city are as commonplace as Bud Lights back home. The
groups and aren’t sure how to tackle certain issues.
guy we were talking to earlier showed him his phone:
Demonizing drugs used by many millennials makes no
on the screen a WhatsApp conversation with his dealer.
sense and it is not an appropriate approach for public
“Just ask what he has to offer, and he’ll show you the
health. First, we have to deal with the misconceptions of
current prices,” the guy explained. As liberal as New
normalization. Secondly, we have to target and inform
York might be, my friend surely had never heard of
the naïve group of millennials with more precision.
such a service as the one he was just introduced to.
Only then can we close the gap, turn the ignorant
People are always going to take drugs. The difference
majority into a minority and embrace normalization. ¢
with this generation, however, is that normalization has AMSTERDAM
SUSTAINABILITY
Wining, Dining, and Isling: Sustainability on Vuurtoreneiland If you’re looking for a unique, sustainable city escape, you’ll find all of that and more at Vuurtoreneiland. Formerly part of Amsterdam’s old defense line, the island is slowly turning into a leading example for a sustainable and circular restaurant industry. Words by ROBYN COLLINGE Pictures by NICOLE FRANZEN
AMSTERDAM
“We wanted to make the island accessible, so people could experience it, without overexploiting the space.�
SUSTAINABILITY
When it comes to sustainability, Amsterdam is often
ence, there’s one spot that has, quite literally, pushed
considered a step ahead of the majority of its European
the boat out.
neighbors. The city essentially runs on pedal power, not forgetting all those windmills, plus the government
A beacon of hope
recently announced an initiative to have the whole city
Situated on Lake Markermeer near Durgerdam, a small
using electric cars by 2025.
village north of Amsterdam, Vuurtoreneiland is an islet
Sustainable projects are cropping up left, right, and
about the size of two soccer fields upon which you can
center. From TreeWiFi, the birdhouse tracking devices
find the city’s only lighthouse.
that reward residents with free internet whenever the
Built in the 1700s, the lone lighthouse of Vuurtoren
air in the vicinity is deemed ‘clean’ enough, to truly
eiland (which literally translates to Lighthouse Island)
innovative 3D printing projects such as MX3D and the
actually has a surprisingly rich history. Starting out as a
remarkable 3D Print Canal House - yep, that’s exactly
welcome guide for ships that had taken on the infamous
what it sounds like.
East India Trading route, it played a fundamental role
But it doesn’t stop there. In what feels like a middle finger
in establishing Amsterdam’s Golden Age.
to industrialization, entrepreneurs are even repurposing
The 1800s then saw the island transformed into a
old and traditional buildings for the new economy. Just
military fort as part of the Stelling van Amsterdam
look at the former headquarters of Shell - a name that too
(Amsterdam’s Defense Line), an 80-mile ring made up
often crops up in the same sentence as pollution - which
of 42 forts around the city. To ensure these forts could
has been converted into the majestic A’DAM Tower,
be easily flooded in times of war, a legislation was put
while its Research Lab has transformed into a co-working
in place stating that no houses could be built within a
space for creative and technological start-ups.
2-mile radius. As a result, a quaint circle of green still remains around the city limits.
Changing the way we eat
Brian Boswijk explains that Vuurtoreneiland was then
However, with so many entrepreneurs fighting to prove
bought from the Defense by the Staatsbosbeheer (State
themselves as innovators in their field, is the city of
Forestry Council), who wished to open the island to
Amsterdam forgetting about the basics?
the public. In order to do so, the SFC wanted to partner
Take a look at the food industry, for example. A recent
with a local entrepreneur who could help restore the
study unveiled that the average Dutch consumer throws
fort - which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site
away roughly 47 kilos of food each year, which amounts
- and attract visitors. What’s more, they wanted to
to €2.5 billion worth of waste.
achieve the two goals without disrupting the natural
A few small businesses have already set out to make a
environment of the area.
change. There’s initiatives like Taste Before You Waste
Brian was just the entrepreneur they needed, and
and Instock, who transform unwanted supermarket
together with business partner Sander Overeinder, he
goods into creative and delicious meals. Kromkommer
presented a sustainable concept to the SFC that fit the
is another notable brand, whose range of delicious
bill perfectly. Brian explains: “Our idea for the place
soups were born out of a crowdfunding campaign
was a small, intimate restaurant. We came to this idea
to enable the use of fruit and vegetables that would
because we wanted to dig into the spirit of the place…
ordinarily be cast aside because of their unusual shapes.
We wanted to make the island accessible, so people
However, when it comes to the whole dining experi-
could experience it, without overexploiting the space.”
AMSTERDAM
SUSTAINABILITY
The island experience
feed, it’s not the way to go for the future. We can’t sustain
Nowadays, guests of Vuurtoreneiland begin their
our ‘normal’ restaurant food habits such as big steaks and
adventure by boarding a chartered boat in Amsterdam
salmon fillets. It’s not going to work out for our children.
with a selection of indulgent local delicacies to nibble
So, we have to change that and rediscover our taste, and
on as they make the hour-long journey across the water.
that’s what we’re trying to do. It’s quite simple to point the
Upon arrival at the island, there’s the chance to explore
finger towards where you want to go but it’s a lot of hard
before settling into the seasonal restaurant for the main
work to get those tastes and qualities just right.”
event - the evening meal.
Since starting out in 2013, Brian tells me he and Sander
Cooking on Vuurtoreneiland is done with passion and
have been incredibly lucky - the phrase all extremely
care. It’s about tradition, nature, culture, and sustain-
hard workers tend to coin - and since the opening
ability. Dishes are prepared with artisan techniques
weeks, trips to the restaurant have consistently sold
- from pickling and fermentation to smoking over an
out. Reflecting on this, Brian explains: “It’s a wonderful
open, wood-burning fire - and the chefs’ head-to-tail
place. It’s unique in Holland. You can do all the interior
way of working ensures not only a diverse menu but
decorating you want but you’re never going to find a
also minimal waste. Ingredients are sourced from local,
restaurant with such an amazing horizon. And that’s a
independent suppliers who share the same vision and
major success factor.”
passion for what real food should be.
After making a name for the island with a summer
Brian elaborates, “We can’t put everything into livestock
restaurant which lies inside a bright, glass greenhouse
AMSTERDAM
SUSTAINABILITY
(open from May to September), last year Brian and Sander set about restoring further aspects of the fort to create what is now the winter location. However, there have been some challenges along the way. The seasons are a hard element to control, particularly when access to the island means crossing a large body of water. Brian notes that boats and storms often are not a winning combination, but even that doesn’t falter his enthusiasm. He exclaims, “We’re very excited about winter on the island because it’s rough, the elements are in full force, the sounds are different - but it’s cozy and it’s dark and you can settle in by the fire.”
Maintaining a balance As Brian continues to nurture the growth of Vuurtoren eiland, there’s one element which must remain the same, and that’s sustainability. “We try to work towards a balance. Obviously we have to make money to buy groceries in order to make our food, but it’s important that we balance our business with our goals. It isn’t always easy, sometimes you have to compromise and take on a big wedding party, for example, but ultimately
make things work and you can stay true to your goals,
balance is the most important issue.”
your integrity, and your passions, yet still make a
This idea of a mindful balance doesn’t stop at Vuur
reasonable living for yourself. This is what we’re trying
toreneiland’s approach to food. In fact, the whole island
to do with the island. It’s about showing a place to
is practically self-sustaining, almost a necessity for
Amsterdam and making it accessible to the public and,
such a remote place.
most importantly, keeping it alive.”
Taking wind, air and sun as their main ingredients,
“Being full as a restaurant is wonderful but it’s also a
multidisciplinary organization Arup - who rose to
big trap, people work hard to get a ticket so they come
fame thanks to their structural design of the Sydney
with expectations that are quite impossible. The only
Opera House - worked hard to make the island as self-
way to break that down is to be genuine in what you do,
sufficient as possible. The only exception is the island’s
to show your passion and to have fun with what you’re
electricity supply, which is collected at the neighboring
doing.”
wind energy corporation.
Modesty aside, it certainly seems like Brian is doing
The island and its surrounding environment may
something right. The light in the lighthouse has been
coexist in harmony, but that relationship does rely
burning for 300 years and it doesn’t show any signs of
on people like Brian, who can continue to bring in a
going out soon.
revenue stream. He summarizes:
So, grab your life jacket, we’re going out for dinner. ¢
“I believe there is a sweet spot where you can really
vuurtoreneiland.nl
AMSTERDAM
LOCAL HEROES
Amsterdam Underground Imagine a dark and dreary Amsterdam Chinatown in the mid ‘90s. Red lights are being reflected in puddles, you’re running out of high and are desperately looking for a street prostitute to hook you up with a dealer in charge of the best dope in town. This used to be the life of Richard, one of the Amsterdam Underground tour guides. Words by MIO VAN DER MEI Pictures by ZICO O’NEILL
Regenboog Groep (The Rainbow Group), a foundation
It can be difficult for people who have been stigmatized for years to find a job or other types of security. How do you help them grow and develop?
that helps locals living in poverty or experiencing social
Freek: They’ve always been treated like shit and had to
disconnectedness through various projects.
fight for themselves while living on the streets. We see
Tour guide Richard used to be one of these locals, but
them, and I mean really see them as full and individual
before we continue diving into his story, let’s hear from
people. We don’t pamper them but instead empower
Freek - project leader of Amsterdam Underground –
them by handing them the right tools. If not through
about what this initiative is all about.
Amsterdam Underground, may it be through one of
Amsterdam Underground offers unique city tours led by former homeless men and women, ex-drug addicts and former prostitutes. This nonprofit initiative is part of De
Hi Freek, we salute your work, it’s an awesome concept. What’s the main idea behind Amsterdam Underground?
our other initiatives. But for Amsterdam Underground specifically we train them to become storytellers and teach them how to guide an audience through the city like it’s a movie. Not everyone is fit to become a guide,
Freek: It was a successful concept that already existed
the person has to be enthusiastic about it and be able
in Utrecht, and De Regenboog Groep franchised it. The
to handle telling his or her story over and over again.
idea is to turn the negative (hi)story of (ex) homeless
One of our first guides, ex-prostitute Sonja, was very
people, prostitutes and drug addicts into a positive
insecure and didn’t believe much in herself. Today
thing, and give them a sense of self-worth. It’s not
she’s one of our most requested guides and she’s in
always easy for them to talk about a past they’re not
charge of training the newbies. She has a paid position
proud of, and sometimes it can get quite emotional. But
in our office now.
the idea is that people who feel distanced from ‘normal’ society and from the labor market gain a positive daytime activity and are even getting paid for it.
AMSTERDAM
LOCAL HEROES
Richard: Sure, it actually started right here at the Casablanca. In 1989 I was a student jazz musician at the Conservatory, and I played my first gigs on the drums here. I had always been a curious guy who wanted to experience everything in life, all the sex, drugs, and rock and roll. After work I would hit up a bar and before heading home I would score dope on the Zeedijk. I was 20 years old and had enough money. But when I reached the point where I had to score three times a day I started losing my grip on life. Despite the drug abuse, I graduated with a 9 at Bimhuis and played in various jazz bands that are now world famous in the jazz scene. Heroine got the best of me and I would get caught using dope in the toilet by my band members and got kicked out of the bands. I was heavily addicted for 20 years and this neighborhood became my second home. I was never entirely homeless, because I had an
What can people expect from an Amsterdam Underground tour?
apartment which I would sublet to pay for my addiction. I would be on the streets for weeks and then go back to
Freek: We have nine guides, each with a unique and gripping story. The tour lasts 90 minutes and we want
my apartment.
Homeless people are generally extroverts because they
You’ve been clean for nine years now and you are off the streets. How does it feel to give a tour about your former life as an on and off homeless addict?
earn money through begging and hassling, and that’s
Richard: It depends on my mood, sometimes I wake
a trait the guides often still possess. It’s not just sad
up and I don’t want to be thinking about my old life.
stories but also a lot of laughter and fun. It’s a unique
And it’s not always easy to tell people about the parts
people to feel free to be able to ask anything without restriction! We don’t judge people or tell them “don’t do drugs, stay in school”, we just want to inform them.
way of getting to know another side of Amsterdam. With a good understanding of what Amsterdam Under ground stands for, let’s hear from Richard about what it’s like to go from drug addict to city guide. We met Richard in Chinatown on a sunny October afternoon in front of jazz club Casablanca.
Hi Richard, we’re excited to meet you. Can you show us a glimpse of your former life as a cocaine and heroin addict?
“We don’t judge people or tell them don’t do drugs, stay in school, we just want to inform them.”
AMSTERDAM
of my life that I’m not proud of. It can get emotional; I
Now only one quarter of the windows are being used
never know what questions to expect. But it’s also a lot
for prostitution, the rest are used by fashion designers
of fun and a lot of laughter, I never feel judged by my
or other young hip ventures. The street prostitutes are
audience and in a way it’s also therapeutic. I want them
gone.
to know that you’re not marked for life. You can kick an addiction!
Does this mean the red-light district also got rid of its drug dealers?
The red-light district is quite the tourist attraction now, but I can imagine the streets looked different in the early ‘90s. How has the neighborhood changed?
Richard: The drug scene is definitely still here, but it’s
Richard: This area used to be completely different!
‘pill bridge’; you could get any type of drugs without
Tourists weren’t safe here, and would certainly be
a doctor’s prescription there. It was very much ‘nous
mugged. There was a big trade in passports as a result. It
connais’. Street dealers are still around but they’re
was full of street dealers, street prostitutes, junkies and
mostly focusing on tourists. As you might know, last
squatters. Street prostitutes and window prostitutes
year a couple of tourists died because they bought white
would get into nasty fights. It used to be grimy but
heroin thinking it was cocaine from a street dealer.
more hidden and spread out. Back then we didn’t have cell phones, now you order your drugs like you order a pizza. The Varkenssluis Bridge used to be called the
there was also a sense of romance, the red lights, small streets, the anonymity.
AMSTERDAM
“It’s not always easy to tell people about the parts of my life that I’m not proud of. It can get emotional; I never know what questions to expect.” I remember seeing homeless people using heroin in public as a kid, and HIV was a big problem at that time. Amsterdam seems mostly free of these issues now, and you don’t see nearly as many homeless people on the streets here as you do in other cities around the world. How come?
Enough about your old life, I’d love to know about your current life!
Richard: Yes, a lot of people died from AIDS and Hepa
and kids. Please come see me play!
titis C in the ‘90s, and luckily that number has dropped
Richard: Jazz music and drumming are what kept me alive and I’m proud to call it my job again. I sometimes play at the Cotton Club, one of the oldest jazz bars in town. But I also teach drumming lessons to both adults
with clean needles at some facilities. HIV and Hepatitis
Thank you Freek and Richard for your openness, we wish you all the best!
C are almost completely gone, and people get good
You can book an Amsterdam Underground tour on
medical and psychological treatments. Amsterdam has
their website, or check out De Regenboog Groep for
a lot of good facilities for the homeless and for drug
more information on their projects. ¢
addicts. The city already started taking care of the
amsterdamunderground.org deregenboog.org
dramatically. Drug addicts can safely shoot up heroine
homeless back in the ‘70s My dad was a social worker so I was pretty familiar with it. But the amount of shelters and projects started growing even more. There’s a
For the music lovers among us check out Richard’s
shelter in every neighborhood in town. Amsterdam is
website to book drumming classes.
good for its ‘ragtags’ and that’s pretty unique.
drumlesbijrichard.nl
AMSTERDAM
Where to find the best sandwich in town?
@amsterdam_madebypeople – Sandwich at home with hagelslag (chocolate sprinkles), Dutch cheese by Mio
@berlin_madebypeople - Best toasti in town at Cafe Frida by Juliane
@chicago_madebypeople - Avocado Toast with Ham & Swiss at TrueNorth by Touly
@madrid_madebypeople - Bocadillo de jamĂłn serrano - Taberna Madrid Madriz by Marta
@melbourne_madebypeople - A roast vegetable toasted sandwich from Gutz, Fitzroy by Sarah
@seattle_madebypeople - Caribbean Roast sandwich from Paseo in Fremont, Seattle by Julie
@vancouver_madebypeople - Meat & Bread features a daily menu of only four sandwiches by Melissa
@bucharest_madebypeople - Burger from a very authentic butcher shop named La Pravalescu by Alexa
@minneapolis_madebypeople - JuicyLucy (Cheese inside the meat patty) by Waqar
#acitymadebypeople
@tokyo_madebypeople – From sandwich house merchen in Shibuya by Mana
Founding Friends We all need friends to bring us further in life. Therefore we have teamed up with like-minded inspiring initiatives. Brands that support our collective intention, who breathe city life and culture, and have ‘people’ as one of their main core values. We feel both lucky and humbled to have these great founding friends on board in making our journal a reality. Thank you!
Maeandmany/Margot van der Krogt
FOUNDING FRIENDS
Let’s redefine how work is done Originating in Amsterdam, Spaces was built on the
and imagineers. We’ve created workspaces that
idea that success builds more success. We’ve cultivated
suit your every need. So you can focus on your next
a community of members who are thinkers, achievers
big idea.
spacesworks.com
FOUNDING FRIENDS
Your favourite bag for everyday life We think the nicest thing in the world is leather. Soft,
In our atelier in Amsterdam we design bags for everyday
supple leather, in exactly the right color. A pretty bag in
life. Big enough for your daily essentials. A simple,
that leather. That’s the best.
no-nonsense design that matches with all your outfits.
We found out that designer brands, say CĂŠline, are very
Do you want us to make a bag designed by you? Make
picky and mind a scratch. We just cut around the scratch.
an appointment with Margriet and she will make your
In that way we can make very practical, simple bags in
favourite bag. Do you want to learn how to make your
this special, supple, slick leather. Bags that grow more
own bag? Check out the workshops in our atelier.
and more beautiful over the years.
monsak.nl
FOUNDING FRIENDS
Every purchase has a purpose While traveling in Argentina in 2006, TOMS Founder
In keeping with the One for One速 promise, purchases of
Blake Mycoskie witnessed the hardships faced by
these products help improve the lives of people in need
children growing up without shoes. Wanting to help, he
by helping restore sight, providing safe water, support
started TOMS, a company that would match every pair
safe birth for mothers and stop bullying through
of shoes purchased with a new pair of shoes for a child
prevention and response services.
in need. One for One速. What began as a simple idea has evolved into a powerful business model. Realizing
TOMS is in business to improve lives. With every
that One for One速 could serve other basic needs, TOMS
product you purchase, TOMS will help a person in need.
launched other products including TOMS Eyewear in
One for One速
2011, TOMS Roasting Co. in 2014, and TOMS Bags and TOMS Local Backpack Collection in 2015.
TOMS.com
Taiga Kato
FOUNDING FRIENDS
How does your brand add value to cities? We are a creative community helping brands understand
switching off from. Partnering with brands to help
their city role and become culturally relevant. Through our
shape their contribution in a city setting and involving
international network of creative citizens we help brands
the people that create the culture, our services include:
understand where they can add value at a local level to
- brand strategy and “city role� conceptualising
ease acceptance into communities and build stronger
- local insights and trends
relationships with people. We call this social context.
- creative content production
We understand the heartbeat of our cities. This enables
- experience design
us to provide insights for brands and collaborate on
So. Don’t force your brand upon a community or city.
experiences and activities that build community
Instead ask, the question:
without the intrusive message overkill that people are
How does my brand contribute and add value to cities?
creativecityworks.com
FOUNDING FRIENDS
Enjoying the charm of Lisbon A group of apartments located at the heart of Lisbon’s
our glasses by Deposito da Marinha Grande, our plates
historical district and the perfect place to stay if you
and cups by Bordallo Pinheiro, our handcraft rugs from
want to fully enjoy the charm of Lisbon.
Alentejo and handcraft blankets originating from Serra
Following a thorough refurbishing process by José
da Estrela being, the shower gel and hand’s gel is from
Adrião Architects, this 18th century building, erected
Castelbel and our linen from Helena Lavores.
after Lisbon’s 1755 devastating earthquake, opens the
Each apartment is named after a Lisbon garden
doors now to travellers from all over the world.
which inspires its interior design, provided by Juan de
Your travelling experience will be enhanced by the
Mayoralgo y Javier Carrasco.
homey atmosphere of these apartments whose delicate interior design, almost unnoticeable, includes
We’re looking forward to be welcoming you at BAIXA
numerous Portuguese brands and handicrafts, such as
HOUSE. Obrigado!
baixahouse.com
FOUNDING FRIENDS
The world is full of choices We’ve all made bad decisions in our lives. From fashion
The idea of MirrorMirror is simple – Upload two pictures
mistakes to lifestyle choices, daily life is a minefield of
and ask the community to vote on which they prefer.
potential mistakes.
Your followers then vote with just a single swipe, giving
Amsterdam’s MirrorMirror app takes the pressure out
instant and honest preferences and a definitive result.
of (and inserts the fun into) dilemmas, by letting you
Having already been nominated for two awards and
compare any choices and putting the decisions in the
established a community of users from around the world,
hands of the people you trust most – your friends.
it’s fair to say MirrorMirror has a big future ahead of it.
askmirrormirror.com
Join our community of city enthusiasts‌ acitymadebypeople.com facebook.com/acitymadebypeople twitter.com/citinerary instagram.com/acitymadebypeople And keep an eye out for our local speaker events in various cities across our network. ENJOY!
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