Who’s keeping the lights on?

As prices skyrocket and pipelines mysteriously explode, the folly of Europe’s over-dependence on fossil fuels, especially those imported from Russia, is being revealed and punished. With autumn turning to winter, Monocle visits the people, places and companies forging the continent a way out of the energy crisis.
Finding Nebo

In our October issue last year, we ran a diary of the fall of Kabul. In passing, our author mentioned a personal footnote – a dog lost. This is what happened next.
Up in the air

Big-name architects are helping to transform Ecuador’s capital – but do its residents want the high life?
Back on track

The rail industry is abuzz with chatter of a golden age of trains. Monocle takes a prime seat at trade fair Innotrans to gauge the direction of travel.
Is the way we work really changing?

The nature of work is constantly evolving and what labour will look like in the future is one of the biggest questions facing architects, employers and educators today. Here, our learned panel unpicks some of the issues that our workforce will face in the years to come.
Glass half full

Despite pandemic woes and the loss of the Russian market, the CEO of Pernod Ricard is upbeat – it’s all just part of business life, he says, and there’s always another opportunity around the corner.
Common currency

Italian bank Intesa Sanpaolo has embarked on a mergers and acquisition programme with cultural clout, turning prestigious buildings in Milan, Turin and Vicenza into the Gallerie d’Italia – public art museums displaying the bank’s large collection of pieces. Its new Neapolitan site is a timely reminder of the mutually beneficial relationship between art and finance.
In full flow

A merger between two televisual giants is offering the Spanish-speaking world a streaming service to rival Netflix. Could the next ‘Squid Game’ be filmed in the shadows of the Sierra Madre?
Move closer

From a Canadian popstar’s emotional return to a beloved portraitist’s political roots, we survey the season’s cultural highlights.
Remote chance

Amid the harsh landscape near Australia’s Bass Strait, a farmhouse offers intimacy and true escape.
Hidden treasures

On a quiet residential street in Japan’s historic capital stands a living monument to the city’s coveted craft traditions.
Inner sanctum

As we sink into cosy armchairs, switch on lamps and rethink our work set-ups, we pick out the latest pieces that promise comfort and warmth.
Bright sparks

There are companies out there that take lighting very, very seriously – and rightly so. Good lighting isn’t just important for aesthetic purposes; it can also help to boost our mood and even our health. Here’s how.
Basic instinct

Architecture practice Studio KO favours simple methods and materials, even when they’re working with star clients.
Community centre

Burkinabè architect Diébédo Francis Kéré sees his projects as hubs for nearby residents, even enlisting their help to build them.
Double vision

Sydney Modern will be the city’s largest cultural opening since the its iconic opera house. We meet the duo behind the design.
Blurred lines

A meeting of minds for workplace-furniture titan MillerKnoll is seeing the firm expanding ever more into employees’ homes. Is this the future of the office?
Meet the family

Picks from The Monocle Shop.
Making history

Following its founding principle of ‘craft in motion’, Italian luxury house Bottega Veneta is combining artisanal tradition and a playful sense of modernity to stake its place in fashion’s highest echelons.
Hammer time

Bulgari has become a major player in luxury timepieces. Monocle meets its watch-making team to find out what makes them tick.
Wearing in

From the very best in running gear (and running routes) to hip fashion meccas in the coolest part of town, via snug and stylish shoes and eye-catching accessories, our global gamut of gear is sure to fit right in with your autumnal adventures.
Layer up

As the air chills, outerwear comes into its own. Match coats and jackets of all hues and fabrics with fun and functional accessories to keep you warm on the go.

Inventory: Technology / Global

Style and substance

Objects of desire that are good-looking as well as high-functioning, including a smartwatch with panache, the new iPhone and two handsome music players.

Writer: David Phelan

Withings
Scanwatch Horizon

If you like the features of a smartwatch but aren’t keen on the touchscreen, Withings has the answer. The French brand has created Scanwatch Horizon, which looks like a high-end timepiece but has an OLED screen that shows notifications, a timer and heart rate for working out or showing ECG metrics. The watch also measures how near you are to your activity goal and is water-resistant to a depth of 100 metres.
withings.com

Astell & Kern
A & Ultima SP3000

Imagine an iPod but 20 times more glamorous and with scintillating audio quality. South Korean firm Astell & Kern has built its latest high-end portable from the kind of stainless steel favoured by watch-makers and that timepiece design is carried over to the side-mounted crown that controls the player’s interface on its 5.46-inch display. And the premium quality applies to the audio as well as the looks. This player can handle high-resolution sound files, so you need the 256GB of storage that it comes with (you can also add microSD cards). It also streams music from Spotify and others, and works with Bluetooth and wired headphones.
astellkern.com

Apple
iPhone 14

Design-wise, the iPhone 14 looks similar to the 13 – that is, it has a flat-edged style with an all-screen front. The 12-megapixel main camera now delivers better shots in low light and the front-facing one has had its pixel count upped so that your snaps will shine, even when taken in a modishly dark restaurant or club. Changes inside include two remarkable safety features. Crash detection means that if you’re in an accident, the iPhone knows. It will try to rouse you with an alarm and can contact emergency services, sharing your location. From November, if you’re in trouble when you’re off-grid, you can send an emergency message via satellite.
apple.com

Ruark Audio
R2 Mk4 Smart Music System

British brand Ruark is known for beautifully crafted audio players, especially radios, with elegant sound. Its R2 speaker is now onto its fourth-generation model and has had quite a design update. A handsome slatted-wood grille sits beneath the clear colour display. What hasn’t changed is Ruark’s trademark circular controller, which is simple and satisfying to use. There’s a DAB radio, of course, and the speaker can stream music from Spotify Connect, Deezer and Amazon Music. The Bluetooth connection means that you can easily use the system with your phone or tablet and you can charge your device from it. Despite the R2’s small size, its sound is room-filling, with a pleasant tone, crisp mid-range notes and strong bass. There are two lacquered finishes: espresso and light cream.
ruarkaudio.com

Still life: Tony Hay

Editor’s Letter

The Opener

Observation: Dinner with an MP

Observation: Reptile rescue

The view from: Naoto Fukasawa

Star stays

Counter culture

Style and substance

Baked good

In the swing

Affairs

Business

Culture

Urbanism & Design

Who’s keeping the lights on?

Finding Nebo

Up in the air

Back on track

Is the way we work really changing?

Glass half full

Common currency

In full flow

Move closer

Remote chance

Hidden treasures

Inner sanctum

Bright sparks

Basic instinct

Community centre

Double vision

Blurred lines

Meet the family

Making history

Hammer time

Wearing in

Layer up

Form and function

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