“Il faut cultiver notre Jardin [We must tend our garden],” Voltaire famously penned in his 1759 masterpiece, Candide.That bucolic phrase has travelled through the centuries, interpreted as an encouragement to tend to one’s own affairs. Yet, as humanity faces escalating heatwaves, floods and a multitude of social upheavals, the Age of Enlightenment, which Voltaire represented, has come under scrutiny. Back then the natural world was seen as something to be tamed. But we are part of nature, not apart from it. So if we’re serious about a climate-resilient future, nurturing the entire ecosystem seems to be a logical move.
With its Haussmannian vernacular, pitched roofs and bustling boulevards, Paris might not seem the obvious candidate for the gold medal in sustainability – but there is hurdle on the horizon; Paris could hit summer temperatures as high as 50c by 2050 according to a recent study.
The French capital offers remarkably few opportunities for nature to thrive. With only 1,883 hectares of publicly accessible green space – less than 9 sq m per capita – Paris trails far behind Vienna, Rome and London (the World Health Organization says the ideal is 50sq m). But plants still push their way through the concrete, and with them come ideas of almost revolutionary potential. We survey the city to find the places where green ideas are taking root.
Nature Urbaine
Spanning 14,000 sq m, Nature Urbaine, or NU-Paris, is perched atop a pavilion in the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre. It is the largest rooftop urban farm in Europe. Fruit and vegetables are grown using a mix of hydroponics and aeroponics: coconut fibre is used to retain water and nutrients, while white, guttering-like structures tap the fresh air to allow plants to grow without soil. Roots are constantly misted with a nutrient solution for more precise control of the growing conditions. It’s a closed-loop system, recycling nearly 90 per cent of water. Six to eight tonnes of produce are harvested every season.
Strawberries dominate. “We’ve planted 20,000 seedlings,” says Flore Canonge, gardener and head of learning at Nu-Paris. Elsewhere, you’ll find tomatoes, aubergines, chillies and Armenian cucumbers. “We aim to offer a diverse array to satisfy the culinary needs of our clients,” says Canonge. Those include local gourmet spots such as Le Perchoir – sharing the same rooftop – and prestigious hotels such as Le Meurice.
Fresh produce is mostly delivered by foot, cargo bikes or public transport. Excess is collected by Re-Belle, an organisation aiding people’s reintegration into the workforce, transforming crops into jams and chutneys. “Anything that remains is composted, contributing to the virtuous cycle we strive to maintain,” says Canonge.
Is this a silver bullet to rising food insecurity? “Rather than a standalone solution, we see it as a powerful tool for reconnecting city dwellers with the origins of their food,” says Canonge. Both the corporate crowd and high-school pupils flock in to learn the art of growing everything from radishes to courgettes. Get in touch for a guided tour or community garden slots.
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Faculty of Pharmacy
A verdant oasis in the heart of Paris? This botanical haven belongs to the Faculty of Pharmacy, Universite Paris Cite, overlooking the entrance to the Zadkine Museum in the 6th arrondissement.
Founded in 1882, the enclave serves primarily educational and research purposes. “Students collect plants for identification. Occasionally, the pharmacognosy laboratory might request samples for extraction and analysis,” says Florence Chapeland-Leclerc, professor of botany and mycology in charge of the premises.
Here, nature isn’t admired for its aesthetics. “Most current medicines originate from plants or fungi. Efforts molecules, particularly for the development of new drugs,” she says.
The stakes lie in striking a balance between ensuring respect for traditional knowledge and sustainable practices while probing for potentially beneficial substances. “Our goal is to study them, under agreements signed with the countries concerned, of course, so that we can understand whether there really is an active compound of interest.”
The academic premises aren’t always open, but free guided tours and group visits are held regularly. To keep everything in place, head gardener Olivier Babiar indulges in his favourite activities: composting and propagating cuttings. “I have no favourite plants,” he tells Monocle, adding that all plants are his favourite. Naturally.
Only a fraction of the 400,000 known plant species have been studied so far. “A vast array of plants or fungi are still unknown. We estimate that the reservoir is extraordinary,” says Chapeland-Leclerc. An antidote to our ignorance of nature may be hidden somewhere too.
Pepins production
Surrounded by a freight railway, the perpetually jammed Boulevard Peripherique and the river Seine, Bercy Charenton is a seemingly overlooked pocket of land with an industrial feel. But plans are under way for a new eco-quartier, a mixed-use development with 45 per cent greenery. Before that happens, time to play with the large brownfield site on the disused Petite Ceinture rail tracks.
Overlooked by Jean Nouvel’s imposing Duo Towers, two raised beds are brimming with cabbages, verbascums and passion flowers. Part of the Berey Beaucoup, it has become the latest outpost for Pepins production, a collective running neighbourhood nurseries or pepinieres de quartier.“The idea was to create a community around urban gardening, and to show that anyone can grow plants,” says project manager Eloise Bloit. With food prices soaring, Pepins production proposes a solution. “Eating fruit and vegetables has become expensive,” she tells Monocle. “So how can we produce them for less without compromising on the quality?”
Besides their Bercy site, other locations include a garden tucked behind a stone wall at the Belleville cemetery, or greenhouses nestled in a block of flats in the bohemian I1th arrondissement.There’s a social dimension, too: the nurseries serve as a work reintegration scheme for those who struggle to return to employment. “We like diversity in both people and plants. There’s plenty to cultivate,” says Bloit, hinting that the potential extends beyond mints and basils. The produce – predominantly medicinal herbs, edible plants, ornamental and wild flora native to the Paris region – is organically grown using recycled materials and peat-free soil made from leaf compost sourced from the suburbs.
Open days are regular, with plants available only to association members – options start at €2 per year.
pepinsproduction.fr
Merci Raymond
“Paris is one of the world’s most densely populated cities. And the only way to embrace this, especially in the era of global warming, is to create space for greenery,” says Hugo Meunier, founder of Merci Raymond. Originally trained as a lawyer, he named his venture in homage to his nature-loving grandfather. At first responding to the millennial house-plant craze by greening offices and bistros with monsteras and fiddle leaf figs, nearly a decade later, their activities range from community gardens in banlieues to urban-redevelopment projects in the corporate La Defense.
“We work on streets, in the courtyards and especially on rooftops,” Meunier tells Monocle. Edible gardens, such as the one at the Hotel des Grands Boulevards, are quickly becoming their clients’ favourites. Before the herbs make their way into the culinary creations of the hotel’s celebrated chef, Giovanni Passerini, they allow the guests to enjoy the perks of the urban version of farm-to table while attracting bees and butterflies.
Merci Raymond’s commissions include Pare de la Villette landscaping overhaul, becoming the French National Agency for Urban Renovation’s official advisors on urban agriculture-related matters. They have also taken part in the Pavillon d’ Arsenal’s Natures Urbaines exhibition.
For Meunier, rethinking public space is about fostering a relationship between people and plants. “The idea is that instead of seeing an empty space every morning and avoiding it, people should reclaim it and install a garden – and host birthday parties there.”
merciraymond.fr
Roofscapes
“Every year the hot climate shifts away from the equator. But the cities are staying put. So they have to face temperatures vastly different from those they were built for,” says architect Olivier Faber. While visually striking, the iconic zinc-pitched roofs absorb substantial heat, exceeding 80C in summer and further exacerbating the urban heat island effect. “Zinc is both our greatest asset and our biggest thermal challenge,” Faber tells Monocle.
He and colleagues Eytan Levi and Tim Cousin propose an ingenious solution. Instead of dismantling what is effectively a French national treasure, they designed a modular, fully reversible structure that envelops the roofs in gardens full of lush greenery.
The trio met as undergraduates in Lausanne but reconvened in Paris to consider climate-adaptation issues; the Roofscapes studio was established in 2021. This spring they got the go-ahead from the Mairie de Paris, collecting several prestigious awards alongside.
Currently, a 1oo sq m pilot is under way at the Academie du Climat, Paris’s official climate education agency. A platform made from lightweight wood minimally contacts the building, blending seamlessly with existing rooftops. “This allows us to preserve the traditional craftsmanship of zinc workers, crucial for adapting to the new climate. Simultaneously, we create a space where both humans and other beings can thrive.”
For Faber, greener cities won’t save us from climate disaster unless they’re designed with a multi-species perspective in mind. “We need to give power back to non-humans and learn how they live,” he says.
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As Donald Trump begins his second state visit to the UK, the absence of London’s former ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, continues to make headlines. It remains to be seen whether he will be widely missed on Capitol Hill. He has always been a controversial figure and while Trump took a shine to British politics’ “Prince of Darkness”, there were many others with misgivings about the scandal-prone operator’s suitability in these highly charged times.
But one member of his team had been an unmitigated success in his posting, throwing himself into his new role with an enthusiasm that put seasoned diplomats to shame: Jock, Mandelson’s 10-year-old, brown-and-white border collie. Sniffing heels at official events, the “ambassa-dog” was expert at working the crowd, finding the right people to target with puppy-dog eyes and a tennis ball dropped for a toss. Racing around the grounds of the Edwin Lutyens-designed ambassador’s residence, Jock would charm distinguished guests, who were all too ready to throw him a bone.
As Mandelson cultivated his relationship with key figures in Trump’s orbit, Jock put in the time to get to know Atlas, the two-year-old German shepherd owned by the US vice-president, JD Vance. The pair often had free rein to patrol the embassy grounds as their owners chewed over matters of foreign policy. Jock had the vital diplomatic skill of being able to connect with dogs from across the spectrum of breed and size, whether that be a lolloping German shepherd or a diplomatic sausage dog.
Mandelson’s political biography is dotted with canine anecdotes. Gerry Adams convinced him to buy his first dog shortly after he was appointed Northern Ireland secretary in 1999. During his time as Sinn Féin’s leader, Adams even offered to buy him one, Mandelson recounted in his memoir – but that was vetoed by his security team “because they feared a listening device would be embedded into one of the dog’s paws”. Mandelson ended up acquiring Bobby, a golden retriever, who became a minor celebrity in Northern Ireland. Jonathan Powell, Tony Blair’s then-chief of staff and now Keir Starmer’s chief foreign-policy adviser, recalled Mandelson bringing Bobby and his other dog Jack on the private jet between London and Belfast, where the truculent hounds kept trying to eat his sandwiches.
The usual canine appetites notwithstanding, at Monocle we have long recognised the unique talents of a canine to smooth the edges of a difficult meeting and improve the atmosphere at any gathering. Diplo-dogs can give opposing sides a point of commonality and help to break the ice, as well as offering stress relief in high-pressure environments.
There can, of course, be bad examples. Joe Biden’s German shepherds, Major and Commander, were exiled from the White House after biting staff. For Mandelson, however, dogs have helped to soften the image of a man whom the media has depicted as a cunning and ruthless spin doctor. But even Jock could not save his master from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal – and Mandelson was rightly sacked last week for his links to the convicted sex offender.
But Jock was loyal to the end. The Financial Times reported that it was Jock who first alerted his owner to his impending firing, barking at 05.40 as staff approached his bedroom door with the bad news. Politics is a dog-eat-dog world.
Charlotte McDonald-Gibson is a Monocle contributor based in Washington. Further reading? When it comes to airport security, canines are still indispensable. Here, Monocle visits the TSA dog training centre.
It has been a busy, award-winning few years for Michael Anastassiades. The Cypriot-born, London-based designer picked up a prestigious Compasso d’Oro from the Milan-based Association for Industrial Design in 2020 and was distinguished as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) last year. This week he also won the London Design Medal, which was presented during the city’s namesake design festival. The award is a recognition of more than three decades of outstanding work from his studio, which commands international attention for its refined approach to lighting design and partnerships with brands, including Flos.
Tell us about your design ethos.
My work is about layering. You have to introduce layers otherwise your work will remain very superficial. If you’re addressing only one small thing then there is no chance that the project will have longevity or relevance. You need to keep people excited about something that they see every day. Excitement should grow if something, from furniture to lighting, is part of your house – every time that you use it should trigger your imagination.
How is this ethos expressed in your work?
I’m able to express it through my own brand. We never put any protective layers on our products. The brass, for instance, is unfinished, so it develops its own patina over time. You can polish it if you want. This allows you to build a relationship with the object.
How does this approach speak to the design industry more broadly?
It’s important to remember that you cannot control everything. This is what makes an object feel alive. Take vintage pieces as an example – there’s amazing demand for them because they have had a life that is clearly visible in the way that they have patinated. But a lot of the companies are now putting protective layers, such as lacquers, on their products. It means that they can’t age and remain pristine. We don’t see leather upholstery developing beautiful cracks and folds. All of a sudden, everything looks plastic.
You studied civil engineering, then industrial engineering, and then immediately set up your studio after graduation. Why take this route?
I started my studio because I thought that I had something different to say. As a model, my planned approach didn’t seem to exist around me. Usually you have a model of somebody – a practice or an individual designer – that has done something amazing that you can relate to. And it seemed that at that time, in London in the 1990s, there was nothing like I wanted. Similar approaches had existed in the 1960s – radical designers, especially in Italy, were doing amazing things with extreme and conceptual design ideas. I wanted to do that but serve the time that we were living in.
What design movement has influenced you the most?
Modernism is what I’m drawn to. But at the same time, it doesn’t mean that I am absolute in that relationship. I allow space for everything else to exist too.
What’s a recurring source of inspiration?
I love art. It really nourishes my mind. I’m fascinated by people’s creativity. I tend to venture to a museum, exhibition or gallery every weekend. It doesn’t matter whether they’re famous institutions or small ones – I believe that every place has something special to offer if you’re open to it.
When you started your studio, you also worked as a yoga teacher to supplement your income. How did this other career affect your work?
Everything you do in life affects the next thing that you try. Yoga definitely was and is a big part of my life. It taught me to approach what I do from an outside perspective. Whenever I feel that I’m too invested in design, it allows me to step back and be critical of what it is that I’m doing for myself.
What’s a priority for you and the industry going forward?
Design is deeply personal and it’s also a dialogue. As a designer, you have something to say with your products and it’s an opportunity to trigger somebody’s imagination. There has to be an open door for the dialogue to pass through and people should want to engage with it.
The fall of Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s mercurial hard-right former president, came gradually and then suddenly. After a steady, years-long drip of revelations about his time in office and months of judicial procedures and hearings, Brazil’s Supreme Court convicted the 70-year-old ex-army captain of plotting a coup d’état and seeking to illegally retain power after his 2022 election defeat. The five-member panel reached a majority verdict and quickly handed down its sentence: 27 years and three months in prison.
The significance of this was lost on no one. Bolsonaro was sentenced alongside several co-conspiring military officers and government officials. His conviction marked the first time that Brazil – a nation that has suffered more than its fair share of coups – had successfully punished the leaders of one of them. In reading their verdicts, the four convicting justices highlighted the vulnerability of democracy and the need to protect institutions against the whims of would-be authoritarians. And that meant dispensing justice, even to the most powerful.
The contrast with the US is clear: whereas America has failed to bring to account a political leader who has chosen to defy democratic rules and norms, Brazil has held firm. On social media, left-wing Brazilians have been revelling in Bolsonaro’s conviction, crowing proudly about the country’s commitment to democracy. On the right, the response has been muted: no mass protests or widespread outrage. Politicians on that side of the spectrum are already plotting what comes next.
The most immediate backlash is likely to come from Donald Trump’s White House. The US president has openly and frequently sympathised with Bolsonaro’s plight and drawn parallels with his own legal strife. As the latter’s trial reached a crescendo in recent weeks, Trump sought to bully Brazil into dropping the case. First, the White House slapped 50 per cent tariffs on the country’s imports. Then it cancelled visas of Brazilian judges and politicians, and hit Alexandre de Moraes – the Supreme Court justice leading the case against Bolsonaro – with Magnitsky Act sanctions. Such sanctions, which freeze De Moraes’s US assets and block him from US financial infrastructure, were once reserved for the world’s worst human-rights offenders. Brazil is now bracing for more.
What happens next to Bolsonaro is less clear. Pending court procedures, his sentence is likely to begin before the end of this year, though it is still undecided whether he will serve it in prison, a federal police facility or in a military barracks, or under house arrest. The man once hailed by supporters as a “messiah” is pinning his hopes on congressional allies passing an amnesty. That would, at the very least, keep him out of prison and, at best, rehabilitate him politically so that he could contest elections next year. Bolsonaro has sought to keep his options open by refusing to name a political heir; if he does name a successor, the decision will be just as significant as that of the courts, showing that he knows his race has been run.
For the incumbent president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Bolsonaro’s trial (and the unprecedented intervention of Trump in the court proceedings) has been a blessing. Serving a third, non-consecutive term, Lula’s latest stint in power had until recently been uninspiring. But in the face of attacks from the White House, he has managed to cast himself as a defender of national sovereignty. His administration has even come up with a catchy slogan – “Brazil belongs to Brazilians” – to emblazon on caps and T-shirts. In a New York Times article directed squarely at the US president, Lula said that he was proud of the Supreme Court’s verdict and that Brazilian sovereignty was “not on the table” for negotiations. His efforts appear to be working. A poll released on the day of Bolsonaro’s conviction showed Lula’s approval rating at its highest point this year. Thank you, Donald Trump.
Bryan Harris is a journalist based in São Paulo. For more opinion, analysis and insight, subscribe to Monocle today.
It’s not always easy being rich – just ask Norway’s prime minister. Following re-election last week, Jonas Gahr Støre holds the nation’s purse strings as a cast of competitive coalition partners and critics from the populist right-wing Progress Party pull him in opposing directions. Having grown immensely wealthy from its oil and gas reserves in the North Sea, Norway and its politics have come to be defined by how to use its abundance. As of today, it has successfully squirrelled away €1.7tn into a handy sovereign wealth fund.
A savvy fiscal rule says that no more than 3 per cent of the fund’s returns can be spent each year. But that is still a huge pot – more than €50bn on top of Norway’s annual GDP. The Labour Party preaches prudent spending on Norway’s already generous welfare system, while its supporters in parliament – the Socialist Left, the Centre Party, the Communist Red Party and the Greens – want to spend more oil money on everything from regional development to green-energy initiatives. The Conservatives and the Progress Party, however, want to cut taxes and offer other incentives for businesses to stimulate growth. A tale as old as time, maybe. But there’s concern that the nation’s affluence has fostered a sense of economic complacency. The title of Norwegian economist Martin Bech Holte’s bestselling book earlier this year is telling: Landet som ble for rikt (The Country That Became Too Rich).
Yet there are more pressing problems facing the Labour government – and indeed the entire Norwegian nation. The wealth fund’s mandate is to grow Norway’s petroleum revenues, which it seeks to do by investing in some 9,000 companies globally. But it has recently come under fire for investing in Israeli companies involved in the war in Gaza.
The Socialist Left has said that full divestment from all companies that contribute to Israel’s “war crimes, occupation, or genocide” is a condition for them propping up Labour in parliament. Along with the Greens, they also want to reform or even replace the wealth fund’s independent ethics council, giving parliament greater control over ethical guidelines. This is problematic.
The fund is supposed to be – and must be – apolitical. Some ethical investment decisions are relatively straightforward, such as avoiding companies involved in tobacco or nuclear weapons. An issue arises, however, if the fund could be accused of making decisions based on the political leanings of a sitting government. Both the wealth fund and the country would become vulnerable to foreign political pressure. The Trump administration, for instance, has already shouted foul over the fund’s divestments from US construction company Caterpillar, whose machines are used by the IDF in Gaza. Trump could choose to impose further tariffs on, say, Norwegian salmon as a retaliation.
The Norwegian case, while a first-world issue, is singular. Other major sovereign wealth funds do not face the constraints of public and political pressure that exist in Norway’s liberal democracy. The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, China Investment Corporation and Singapore’s Temasek Holdings are all free to focus on financial returns over ethical or political considerations.
Yet unlike the Gulf and other petrostates, there is still broad agreement from citizens on the need for some form of moral process as to how the money is invested. Norwegians will be tackling a far more fundamental question in the coming parliamentary period: when to cease extracting oil and gas from the North Sea?
Lars Bevanger is Monocle’s Oslo correspondent. For more opinion, analysis and insight, subscribe to Monocle today.
Read next: The Green petrostate: Can Norway really become carbon neutral?
This November, Ho Chi Minh City (or Saigon to those of us who live here) will host AGI Open – the annual gathering of the Alliance Graphique Internationale, an association of the world’s leading graphic designers. With more than 500 members from nearly 50 countries, it’s the first time the organisation is bringing its meetings and conference to Southeast Asia. The participants will arrive in a country on the brink of something extraordinary.
Vietnam is not just riding a wave of economic growth or manufacturing scale – it’s approaching a moment of redefinition. A shift from being the workshop for the world to a maker of brands that matter, in engineering, AI, coffee and sport. Where commerce blossoms, cultural exports often follow and Vietnam’s soft power is bubbling up around the globe – from award-winning films at Cannes to fashion worn by Gen-Z tastemakers such as Billie Eilish.
The resources are here. The talent is here. The market is young, savvy and involved. What’s needed now is intent. The question is: who will get it right? Who will cut through the noise and “make it” as a stand-out brand?
Take Highlands Coffee. Established in the 1990s, it now has nearly 1,000 shops nationwide and is poised to go global. But size alone doesn’t equate to world-class. To lead, Highlands must tell a story rooted in origin, culture and craft. Vietnam produces a vast share of the world’s coffee and the label is investing heavily in elevating farm-to-cup quality. The brand can rival Starbucks by being unapologetically Vietnamese.
But the path isn’t guaranteed. There’s another, less-appealing but commonly driven road, where marketing outpaces product and hype is mistaken for trust. The world has yet to make up its mind about “Made in Vietnam”, so business and industry have an opportunity – a responsibility, even – to shape the country’s reputation abroad in a positive way.
That shift is already underway. At Rice, the studio we founded in Saigon in 2011, we talk about “Brand Vietnam” almost daily. Marou Chocolate was our first client, and for years, it felt like a lonely ambassador for Brand Vietnam on the world’s supermarket shelves. But a decade later, far more brands are on the way. Our work today comes from Vietnamese founders across industries new and old, from blockchain and sports to steel and mining. Factory owners realise that building their own brands offers better margins, but beyond that, prestige. And fortunately for Vietnam, the lessons from Japan, South Korea and China are clear: combine rich resources and distinctive culture with disciplined brand building. In an era when consumers care about provenance and understand the fragility of supply chains, achieving that will make us hard to beat.
When the AGI wraps up in November and our peers head back to New York, London, Zürich and Tokyo, they will be taking home more than just conference notes and tins of Vietnamese cacao. They’ll take a first-hand impression of a country redefining itself and a new generation of creative and commercial talent that’s ready to lead rather than imitate. If we get it right, the world won’t just look out for Brand Vietnam – they’ll look up to it.
Finally! A Saturday to sleep in, poke around the apartment, go for a long wander, get a proper shave, swim in the lake and generally take stock after a crazy few weeks of entertaining, hosting and family logistics. I’ve just popped into our café in Zürich and while there are enough bare ankles and guests in shorts, it definitely has the feel of summer’s end and back to business. The regulars have returned from Leros, Comporta and Menorca, attention is turning to the autumn collections on our shop rails and there’s a snappier rhythm about the city. I haven’t quite had the full back-to-school experience, partly because I have one more sunny long weekend ahead (the rocks and sea along the coast from Nice still await), and partly because there’s not been an autumn wardrobe reset (that will be in Tokyo in a few weeks) – but things have definitely shifted gears as we enter the rush to Christmas crazy times.
First, there’s a new executive assistant helping to run the show. After a three-year stint, Izumi has moved to a Japanese bank here in Zürich and André is now officially installed to keep things in check, spot opportunities and build up relations in the Lusophone world. Luanda, here we come! A big arigatō gozaimasu Izumi and boas-vindas André. Buckle-up.
Second, we’re entering a season (perhaps an era) in which Monocle’s shops and cafés are becoming a near seamless extension to what happens on our pages. Only three years ago, our outlets from Toronto to Tokyo were places to pick up the latest issue, back numbers or one of our books. But now we’re seeing brand partners wanting to move from page and screen to be active in our spaces. We recently did brand residencies with the likes of Massimo Dutti and Gucci, and this week German department store group Breuninger makes a splash with us in Zürich, while in Paris womenswear brand Soeur launches a special K-Way project at our outlet on rue Bachaumont. Over the coming weeks we will also have collaborations with Stone Island, Rosewood and a few other surprises. What does this say about the state of the media landscape? As newsstands and kiosks continue to close, it means that we need to take greater control of our distribution – and that means running our own outlets.
A magazine or even newspaper can no longer rely on the trusty neighbourhood newsagent to be a place to browse, sample and purchase. Thankfully partner brands see value in meeting our readers in person and enjoy taking up residencies with us. If you have ideas for retail and café spaces in Madrid and Milan, please send pics and coordinates my way. And if you’re a fitting brand that might want to shack up, we’re happy to fluff the duvet with you.
Helsinki Design Week is in full swing and, as ever, the city is buzzing with creativity and community. This year, two highlights in particular are especially worth paying attention to: an open-air exhibition that celebrates the nation’s brief but brilliant summer, and a pop-up restaurant where Nordic craft meets seasonal cuisine.
‘10 Days of Summer’
The 10 Days of Summer exhibition at Helsinki Design Week is a playful nod to Finland’s fleeting but intense warm season. Running from 10 to 12 September on the leafy grounds of the city’s Kaisaniemi Botanic Garden, the group show highlights the ingenuity of a new wave of Finnish designers while testing their creations in the open air. The line-up spans both emerging names and more established figures, including Aino Michelsen, Samuli Helavuo, Studio Tolvanen and Antrei Hartikainen. Their contributions range from modular seating and tables to lamps, textiles and even a furniture-scale greenhouse.
On show is a grill by Salla Luhtasela of Studio Kaksikko that doubles as a sculptural centrepiece, while birdhouses and other pieces hint at a playful approach to garden life. Wood, glass, ceramics and metal are the materials of choice, all selected with durability in mind. “Outdoor furniture shouldn’t be trapped indoors on a podium,” says designer and organiser Ville Auvinen. “Here, people can test it in a real environment.” For visitors, the exhibition is more than just a chance to admire clever seating systems or finely crafted grills. It’s also an opportunity to acquaint themselves with Finland’s new flock of designers, who are emerging confidently from the long shadows of figures such as Alvar and Aino Aalto, Paavo Tynell and Eero Aarnio – proving that the nation’s design legacy is alive, evolving and rooted firmly in the present.
Visit ‘10 Days of Summer’ during Helsinki Design Week at Kaisaniemenranta 2.
Kuurna pop-up restaurant
Located in the heart of Helsinki, Suomital is a commercial building that dates to 1911. Over the coming days it’s playing a central role in the city’s design week as its main venue, with the fifth floor serving seasonal, Finnish dishes in a pop-up restaurant. Helmed by the team behind Kuurna, it’s a delicious exercise in drinking and dining. Design, of course, is served up too, with guests able to test out chairs, tables, cutlery and crockery by Finnish Design Shop and Danish manufacturer Hay.
“Both companies share a passion for spreading the message of Nordic design – and where better to do so than around a shared meal in beautiful architectural surroundings,” explains Noora Tirkkonen, managing director of Finnish Design Shop. “Hay’s playful style fits perfectly with the pop-up’s festive yet relaxed nature. We are also excited to provide some visual delight by setting the table with the new La Pittura collection by artist Emma Kohlmann.” Bookings are now open for lunch and dinner reservations until 13 September. For those who don’t find a seat, the bar area is available to walk-ins ready to toast to good design.
Book for dinner at the Kuurna pop-up restaurant here.
1.
Breakfast at restaurant le Square Trousseau
This classic restaurant at the corner of the square near Marché d’Aligre in the 12th arrondissement is run by a genial pair called Mickael and Laurence. Order a ficelle with salted butter and strawberry jam with your coffee.You’ll see the same people returning here every day, reading their newspapers and nattering with their neighbours.
2.
Swim at Piscine Pontoise
This elegant art deco swimming pool in the Quartier Latin always makes a splash. The team has retained the original two storeys of individual changing cabins overlooking the pool. These are accessible only with a key provided by an attendant; don’t expect swipe cards or digital passcodes.
3.
Stock up at the Rue du Nil
For your groceries, head to the four Terroirs d’Avenir shops on this 2nd arrondissement street, offering high-quality, mostly organic fare.
4.
Have something made to measure
Sharp tailoring is always a good idea if you want to fit in with Paris’s well-dressed denizens. High-end tailor Charvet in the Place Vendôme remains the essential choice for classic gents in search of made-to-measure shirts. Meanwhile, Husbands is the place to go for an impeccable suit.
5.
A glass of wine at Le Select
A favourite haunt of authors, poets and politicians, Le Select brasserie on Boulevard du Montparnasse is a Paris institution.
6.
Stay at Les Suites Cinabre
Above the Cinabre boutique at 14 Cité Bergère are two stylish apartments decked out by Necchi Architecture. At this new hospitality offering from Alexandre Chapellier, Cinabre’s founder, you’ll sleep soundly on a Hästens bed, savour Plaq chocolates and refresh yourself with Susanne Kaufmann products. You’ll also find a selection of vinyl records and even custom playlists.
7.
Find serenity at a historic chapel on the Rue du Bac
A popular pilgrimage site for those seeking solace, the Chapelle Notre- Dame de la Médaille Miraculeuse on the Rue du Bac is renowned for the apparitions of the Virgin Mary to Catherine Labouré in 1830. This beautiful church is also a perfect spot for anyone wanting to rest their feet after checking out Le Bon Marché’s fada exhibition nearby.
8.
Book a cinq à sept at the Hôtel Paradiso
Reserve a cosy suite at his hotel- cum-cinema a stone’s throw from the Place de la Nation, where you” “can watch films that are currently being screened in theatres, rather than just the usual Netflix fare. This Parisian original offers an excellent way to unwind if the weather doesn’t hold. Even the room directory is written as a screenplay.”
9.
Fill your tote at Miyam
This shop on the Rue Beaubourg revolutionises the supermarket with short supply chains and plentiful veggie options, and by limiting waste.
10.
Find lost treasure at the Marché Puce de Vanves
Every weekend some 400 vendors flog their wares at the Vanves flea market near Parc Montsouris on avenues Marc Sangnier and Georges Lafenestre. Unlike at the Saint-Ouen market, the stalls here are outdoors. This authentic market attracts those with an eye for vintage furniture, coins, porcelain, silverware and jewellery.
11.
Head to the Musée Bourdelle
After a two-year renovation, the Musée Bourdelle reopened in 2023. In addition to Antoine Bourdelle’s monumental sculptures such as “Hercules the Archer” and “The Dying Centaur”, you can now see studios filled with tools, unfinished works and his personal effects. End your visit at Le Rhodia café, designed by Studio Freudenthal.
Read next: Monocle’s complete City Guide to Paris
Illustrations: Mathieu De Muizon
In last December’s issue of Monocle we ran a story about a Catalan tradition: the building of castells, or human towers. We sent our writer Julia Webster Ayuso to the city of Tarragona to attend a vast gathering of castellers, who were participating in a biannual competition in which groups of up to 300 people erect these crazy, gravity-defying towers. She was joined on her mission by photographer Julia Sellmann and together they delivered a story that really hit the mark. Because this was not just about acrobatics or Catalonian pride; these towers were a vibrant, universal, living example of what happens when we support each other, have each other’s backs.
It was a story that sat with me and continued to make me think about what happens when the strongest take the most weight, when we elevate the young. So when it was confirmed that the Monocle Quality of Life Conference would be in Barcelona, I had a rare clever idea – let’s ask a group of castellers to come to the conference and show off their skills. Hannah, who runs all of our events, somehow went with the commission and contacted Julia, who in turn set off to find our conference’s climactic moment.
That’s why, last week, as the conference day was concluding at the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona, we ran a short film that we had made about this tradition. Even watching this began to catch my emotions. And then, as a surprise – it wasn’t listed in the programme, not even all our staff knew what was about to happen – the back doors of the auditorium opened and in marched 70 castellers, members of the Castellers de la Vila de Gràcia, beautifully attired in white trousers and blue shirts, with red sashes around their waists. The crowd stood and turned.
Now it just so happens that 70 castellers are a lot of people but, in the small space that we had kept clear at the front of the stage, they assembled and began to build the first tower, initially in silence, then to the rhythm of their musicians – the changing beat allowing those on the ground floor and in the centre, unable to see, to know what stage the tower had progressed. The group then made a second tower, atop of which clambered a young girl who unfurled a flag emblazoned with our Quality of Life symbol and the words, “Thank you! Gràcies!”. By the end of the day, when the presenters were assembling to take a Monocle equivalent of the final curtain, I looked over at Rob and Sophie to see tears on cheeks. I peered out across the roaring audience and saw person after person wiping away their tears too. Me? Almost sobbing.
One of the castellers, Rafa, came up on stage to talk to Rob and I about this emblematic and emotional Catalan pastime. He explained how his three children had signed up; how they practised with the community twice a week; how people who were not originally from the region had been welcomed in; and why this giver of identity was flourishing.
But why had the building of a human tower had such a powerful effect on a room filled with Monocle readers and listeners, people who between them know so much, have seen so much? My colleague Josh suggested that these men, women and children had somehow demonstrated all of the things we had been debating on stage all day without saying a word – how to make better cities, give people dignity through design, finding new sources of inspiration. And he was right.
Later, at the amazing gala dinner at La Paloma – an old dance hall – I spoke to our delegates about the day, about what they had come to Barcelona for, about their connection to Monocle. And, for a moment, I allowed myself to feel a little proud of what we have created at the heart of our brand. Why? Because in the stories that they told me about the connections they had made through the magazine, through meeting other delegates at events like this one over the years, and in looking around this humming, buzzing, joyful room, I could see that we have made something of our own castell. Our readers care, offer each other and their own communities support, strive to elevate their families, employees and neighbours. They are people who know what’s possible if you work in harmony with like-minded people. How the seemingly impossible can become reality.
Click here to explore the full collection of Andrew’s past columns.
