Affairs
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Breaking the rules
The codes of good urban planning are common sense. But sometimes those rules are there to be broken and, as in these five examples, the results can work surprisingly well.
Back to the grind
Around the world a new generation of coffee shops are becoming community players. We meet the baristas who make their ’hoods and get their urban picks.
Make, do and vend
San Francisco may be small in size, but it has always had big ambition. Now it’s leading the way by putting small manufacturers and retailers at the heart of its urban agenda.
Ideas to steal
Making the world’s busiest cities more ordered is a top priority for urban planners. When one city finds an idea that works, it seems the rest of the globe is keen to catch up.
Patron familias
Sometimes it’s not civic officials who shape the city but passionate families. In Sydney the Kaldors’ cultural philanthropy is enriching their city.
Local heroes
From honey producers to fashion designers, Monocle meets the groups and business owners that have launched innovative projects to help bring communities together. Sometimes it makes good business sense too.
Voice of the people
Every city has a local media star who is part of its fabric. Content with staying on home turf, they become an institution, explaining their metropolis to a loyal public.
The money mystery
There’s a link between quality of life and money but nobody quite understands this marriage. One thing we know for sure, whatever the question, the answer should not be Luanda.
Expo 45: Rome
Rome’s citizens will tell you that too many things just don’t work in their city. But it still maintains an enviable quality of life with its markets, piazzas and architectural surprises.
50 things to improve your life
You don’t need to sample everything we’ve listed. But then again maybe you do — we’re quite sure these deliver the goods.
