Society
Tray bien: Canteens make an upscale comeback as Londoners invest in lunchtime
Dining al desko is done and dusted. Office workers are reclaiming their lunch hours with the help of canteen-style restaurants that are healthy, a little smug and suddenly ubiquitous.
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Poetry is a way that people survive the fear and uncertainty that war brings
We can be overwhelmed by reports filed from conflict zones. While they give a comprehensive account of a situation on the ground, sometimes the language fails. Which is where poetry comes in.
Boys and their toys: What happened to the playthings of the yuppie office?
Richard Loncraine and Peter Broxton spent 30 years producing delightfully distracting desktop decorations for executives.
Why stamps are sticking around and still used as a soft-power pusher in the post
Although unassuming, postage stamps can tell a story about a nation’s identity. Here are some of our favourites.
London: a runner’s perspective
Traffic-clogged and polluted London may not seem like a runner’s paradise. But there’s more to the city’s offerings than first meets the eye, with its windy streets, architectural variety and abundant greenery. We followed…
Design tours: The world’s best public housing?
The world is urbanising fast. But how do you accommodate people in cities in a way that offers dignity, affordability and a sense of community? Vienna may have a solution.
Samfundssind: community spirit in Denmark
Housing co-operatives are numerous in Denmark, providing residents with affordable places to live, keeping community spirit strong and cultivating samfundssind: the Danish concept of putting society’s needs ahead of individual interests. Monocle visited the…
Sisu: The art of Finnish fortitude
Finland is a swimmer’s paradise and residents take to the water year-round. In colder months the practice often involves carving a hole into ice – a demonstration of “sisu”, the unique Finnish concept of…
Design tours: Lithuania’s modernist city
As Lithuania’s second city, it’s not often Kaunas gets much international attention. This, however, could be about to change. Kaunas has been named one of Europe’s Capitals of Culture for 2022; a title it’s…
Athens: urban inspiration
Athenians have a knack for injecting pockets of greenery and a sense of innovation into their ancient city. Their urban interventions are aimed at cooling down this dense metropolis and safeguarding its sacred sights…
Monocle preview: Forecast 2020
If the dawning of a new decade is leaving you with more questions than answers, a copy of The Forecast should be an immediate purchase. We’ve got advice on where (and how) to live…
