Contributors
Meet a few of this issue’s creators.Ed’s letter
Andrew Tuck introduces the issue.The Opener
Going native in Albania, stats and what’s on Monocle’s agenda for March.Driving San Francisco’s trams
In the US’s tech capital, we meet the people keeping its analogue transport network on the right track.Nour Kelani
Christie’s managing director in Saudi Arabia on a new chapter for the house.Alma Cookery School
We meet the team behind the palatial scenes of Italy’s largest culinary academy.
After the fires
Could LA’s wildfires push California towards a vote for secession from the US?Affairs
Diplomats head back to Damascus and the US and China compete over technological progress.Business
Moving house (for real) in Vancouver, shopping in Ho Chi Minh City and tourism in Syria.Culture
Modern art in Norway, dog-sitting for museum-goers and Afrobeat brings “vibes” to Japan.Design & Urbanism
The beauty of brick, Australian lifestyle brand Country Road and more.
Iter
Monocle visits a multilateral project that’s trying to find a “moonshot” solution to climate change.Ricaurte Vásquez
The Panama Canal’s administrator on environmental challenges and maintaining relevance in a changing world.Buildings that made their neighbourhood
10 distinguished developments giving their communities an edge.Culdesac
We visit the first car-free neighbourhood built from scratch in the US.Bau
The ups and downs of the elevator pitches at Munich’s construction trade fair.Boomtown builders
We speak to three people leading firms that are building for the future.How to fix the industry
In-the-know CEOS and industry leaders assess opportunities shaping today’s property game.Vila 31
How dictator Enver Hoxha’s former home has been transformed into a creative enclave.Alain Weill
The CEO of L’Express on expansion plans and the evolution of French radio.Culture Cuts
The best things to watch, read and listen to as winter melts into spring.Khao Yai Art Forest
The outdoor gallery that could become a new model museum for Thailand.Casa Catarina
We visit a newly finished home in Mexico, which draws inspiration from Claude Monet and Tanizaki Junichiro.Rugs
A close look at how carpets can form the backbone of local cultures and communities.Orior
We meet the family behind Danish-inspired, New York-based Irish furniture brand Orior.Zegna
The Italian fashion house’s creative director talks us through the firm’s well-cut rebrand.Kelloseppäkoulu
Why this Finnish school is one of the watchmaking industry’s best-kept secrets.Fashion weeks
Curious about what goes on behind the scenes of the fashion world? We peek beyond the curtains with five style specialists.Fashion
Swiss sportswear, the revival of the loafer and some crucial-to-know collaborations.Shoot
From breezy jackets to sharp shirts, here’s what to wear this season.
Bangkok
A walking tour of the best retail in Thailand’s boomin capital.Porvoo
Finland’s second-oldest city is a treasure trove of cafés, bars and fine dining. We book the top tables.Piscine Pontoise
Join us as we take a dip in France’s finest art deco pool.Greece
A roadtrip around the Peloponnese reveals the peninsula’s lesser-seen charms.Travel and food
Homely hotels in Melbourne and Leiden, and a seasonal halloumi-salad recipe.Late-night tables
We extol the virtues of dining after dark with a round-up of the restaurants and bars best enjoyed in the small hours. Care for a night cap?
Meet the architects, developers and neighbourhood-makers on the up.
Issue 181
March 2025
Property special
At the front
Contributors
Meet a few of this issue’s creators.Ed’s letter
Andrew Tuck introduces the issue.The Opener
Going native in Albania, stats and what’s on Monocle’s agenda for March.Driving San Francisco’s trams
In the US’s tech capital, we meet the people keeping its analogue transport network on the right track.Nour Kelani
Christie’s managing director in Saudi Arabia on a new chapter for the house.Alma Cookery School
We meet the team behind the palatial scenes of Italy’s largest culinary academy.
The Agenda: Global briefings
After the fires
Could LA’s wildfires push California towards a vote for secession from the US?Affairs
Diplomats head back to Damascus and the US and China compete over technological progress.Business
Moving house (for real) in Vancouver, shopping in Ho Chi Minh City and tourism in Syria.Culture
Modern art in Norway, dog-sitting for museum-goers and Afrobeat brings “vibes” to Japan.Design & Urbanism
The beauty of brick, Australian lifestyle brand Country Road and more.
Global views
Iter
Monocle visits a multilateral project that’s trying to find a “moonshot” solution to climate change.Ricaurte Vásquez
The Panama Canal’s administrator on environmental challenges and maintaining relevance in a changing world.Buildings that made their neighbourhood
10 distinguished developments giving their communities an edge.Culdesac
We visit the first car-free neighbourhood built from scratch in the US.Bau
The ups and downs of the elevator pitches at Munich’s construction trade fair.Boomtown builders
We speak to three people leading firms that are building for the future.How to fix the industry
In-the-know CEOS and industry leaders assess opportunities shaping today’s property game.Vila 31
How dictator Enver Hoxha’s former home has been transformed into a creative enclave.Alain Weill
The CEO of L’Express on expansion plans and the evolution of French radio.Culture Cuts
The best things to watch, read and listen to as winter melts into spring.Khao Yai Art Forest
The outdoor gallery that could become a new model museum for Thailand.Casa Catarina
We visit a newly finished home in Mexico, which draws inspiration from Claude Monet and Tanizaki Junichiro.Rugs
A close look at how carpets can form the backbone of local cultures and communities.Orior
We meet the family behind Danish-inspired, New York-based Irish furniture brand Orior.Zegna
The Italian fashion house’s creative director talks us through the firm’s well-cut rebrand.Kelloseppäkoulu
Why this Finnish school is one of the watchmaking industry’s best-kept secrets.Fashion weeks
Curious about what goes on behind the scenes of the fashion world? We peek beyond the curtains with five style specialists.Fashion
Swiss sportswear, the revival of the loafer and some crucial-to-know collaborations.Shoot
From breezy jackets to sharp shirts, here’s what to wear this season.
Concierge & Expo: Where to go, buy & eat
Bangkok
A walking tour of the best retail in Thailand’s boomin capital.Porvoo
Finland’s second-oldest city is a treasure trove of cafés, bars and fine dining. We book the top tables.Piscine Pontoise
Join us as we take a dip in France’s finest art deco pool.Greece
A roadtrip around the Peloponnese reveals the peninsula’s lesser-seen charms.Travel and food
Homely hotels in Melbourne and Leiden, and a seasonal halloumi-salad recipe.Late-night tables
We extol the virtues of dining after dark with a round-up of the restaurants and bars best enjoyed in the small hours. Care for a night cap?
