Alpha Dominche Steampunk
Trade shows bring out some wacky ideas for coffee. I almost dismissed this press release, thinking it was vaporware, but it turns out there’s a working prototype and it’s actually quite intriguing. It mechanizes the siphon brewing process, and adds some interesting features that make it easier to manage and customize for different brews. The...
Braun KF20 Aromaster, a Retro-Futuristic Coffee Maker Design
I love this coffee maker designed by Florian Seiffert for Braun in 1972. It has a retro-futuristic charm to it, similar in some ways to the classic Moccamaster or Technivorm. Unlike the Technivorm (which makes great coffee), this design is no longer made and you can only find one if you scour Ebay regularly or...
SCRW – Seating Design by Manuel Welsky
I love the “SCRW” stool designed by Manuel Welsky. The color contrast, the way form & function playfully complement each other, and the giant cork seat all make for an eye-catching visual that begs for tactile interaction. I could see something like this fitting in nicely at some of Korea’s indie cafes, with their quirky...
Porcelain Espresso Machine by Arvid Häusser
Arvid Häusser, a product design student at Bauhaus University, gives us a creative look at how espresso machine design could be re-imagined: The qualities of porcelain like high thermal storage, neutrality in taste and an antiseptic surface are making the material ideal for the use in food context. The machine is attached on...
MK2 Cafe
MK2 is a cool looking spot in the neighborhood to the west of Gyeongbokgung palace. The decor is made up of mostly mid-century modern furniture, and they have a Faema E61 espresso machine on which they churn out a pretty decent espresso. It seems like a really chilled out place to relax and study, do...
Madagascar
My friend Sammie showed me the way to this cafe out near Sookmyung Women’s University. It’s a nice looking cafe, with a spacious and eclectic interior full of National Geographic style photography (the theme is Madagascar after all), photo gear, photo books, and random curios. I guess the owner is a photographer who visited Madagascar...
