Monocle: Issue 180 / Global
Full steam ahead
At a time when the world seems to be sailing deeper into uncharted territory, thoughts on how to maintain a positive momentum have never been more vital. In this issue, as ever, we give space to the informed and the ideas-driven – people who apply optimistic solutions to their areas of expertise. And whatever unforeseen events might rock the boat elsewhere, Monocle is on course for some exciting developments of its own, as Andrew Tuck reveals.
We are living at a moment when the only thing that’s predictable is the unpredictable. Unforeseen events come hurtling towards us from every angle, each with the potential to rattle the world order. Russia’s war in Ukraine, the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria and South Korea’s constitutional crisis all happened when most people were looking the other way. And these tectonic shifts have the potential to affect so much more than state relations; they also shape global trade, how we travel, the culture that we consume and even how confident people feel when they get up in the morning.
To help monocle readers move through any potentially choppy waters, we have appointed a new security correspondent who joins the magazine and monocle Radio from this issue. Gorana Grgic, who is also a senior researcher with the Swiss Euro-Atlantic Security team at eth Zürich’s Center for Security Studies, opens this month’s Agenda section by unpacking all of the forces at play right now and arguing that, “only by staying informed, anticipating change and finding ways to adapt and respond can we navigate the uncertainties ahead and hopefully contribute to shaping a more secure future”.
You’ll also be hearing more from Grgic, and other new and established monocle voices, in the coming months at monocle.com. Because while these might be interesting times, monocle has a host of important projects for the company in play and a key one of these will be the launch of an enhanced digital experience. I won’t give too much away now but delivering our common sense, solutions-driven view on everything from urban design to social change will be central to our plans.
There’s some other house news to share. As you will have read in these pages, monocle opened its first office in Paris last year and now we are on the cusp of revealing a new shop and café space in the city (and we are already moving to a new, larger office too). One of the many benefits of having a growing team in the city is that it helps to shape the whole tone of the company. From the beginning we have always strived to be a global brand rooted in Europe. Now, with HQs in Zürich and London and a sizeable presence in Paris, that’s easier than ever.
Reading the page proofs for this issue – with stories from all over the world, not just France – I was struck again and again by the number of people who see a problem and step forward with a solution; by the range of civic and business leaders, designers and architects who refuse to accept just a mediocre solution, who insist on setting improved benchmarks. That’s why we hope that this issue will give everyone hope and an injection of ambition as we dive into 2025.
A prime example of this is the University Children’s Hospital Zürich by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron. The building makes extensive use of timber, embraces nature and strives to put children first in all its planning decisions. As our story says, it creates “a place for treatment but a sanctuary for children, their families and staff. The building feels like a warm embrace – a hospital that saves lives while improving people’s life quality.” It’s remarkable.
That same determination to come together to affect meaningful change is also evident in our report on how Kansas City revived its downtown. Back in the early 2000s, about 13,000 people lived in the heart of the city; now, according to the city council, more than 122,000 people work in the greater downtown area and office occupancy is at 86 per cent. And among the elements that helped to change the narrative were good urban-planning decisions that were citizen-led.
Elsewhere in the issue you’ll discover how an emblem of African optimism has been revived in Addis Ababa, why a spate of museum offerings shows how we can still come together because of art and storytelling, and why you should keep using a pen and paper every so often if you want to maintain a healthy brain (this letter might be handwritten next issue). Enjoy.
If you want to stay ahead on all of monocle’s news and views, make sure that you’re subscribed to our newsletters, The Monocle Minute and Weekend Editions. And if you have any ideas and solutions that you’d like to share, or have feedback to give, remember you can always contact me at at@monocle.com. —
