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Looking for a plan

What happens when urban planning goes wrong? The answer is Dongguan, a metropolis hastily erected on the back of a 1980s economic boom. With poor transport and half-empty shopping centres, life is a struggle. But authorities may finally be taking note.
Hard-task masters

This is Monocle’s homage to the city workers charged with some of the toughest tasks in the world, from the nitty gritty of slum clearance in India, to dealing with Cairo’s rubbish problem and working in Taipei’s animal shelter. We tracked them down to hear their creative solutions to the challenges.
Five city bosses

One has the task of turning round Japan’s only bankrupt city. Another is trying to rebuild a war-torn capital where electricity is a scarce luxury. They are all, however, motivated by a desire to improve the day-to-day lives of their fellow citizens. Monocle profiles some of the world’s most challenged mayors.
Going south

Montpellier is the fastest-growing city in France and for Monocle it ranks as one the best cities for business. It supports new ventures, with many hi-tech companies setting up there, and has an enviable quality of life to boot.
The money mystery

There’s a link between quality of life and the money in your pocket but nobody quite understands this complicated marriage. One thing we do know for sure, whatever the question, the answer should not be Luanda.
Patron familias

Sometimes it’s not civic officials who shape the city but passionate families. In Sydney the Kaldors’ cultural philanthropy is enriching their city.
Voice of the people

Every city has a local media star – perhaps a television anchor, newspaper columnist, singer or author – who is part of its very fabric. Content with staying on home turf, they are an institution, breaking down the anomalies and absurdities of their metropolis for a loyal public.
Make, do and vend

San Francisco may be small in size, but it has always had big ambition. Now it’s leading the way by putting small manufacturers and retailers at the heart of its urban agenda.
Breaking the rules

The codes of good urban planning are common sense. But sometimes those rules are there to be broken and, as in these five examples, the results can work surprisingly well.
Inside the box

Habitat 67 proves that buildings created for events – in this case Montréal’s Expo of 1967 – can continue to be useful. We meet three residents and talk to the architect about why the project has been such a success.
Breathing space

When Monocle and sister company Winkreative had to hunt for a bigger London base, they opted for greenery, mid-century architecture and a central location. Welcome to Midori House.
Back to the grind

Around the world a new generation of coffee shops are becoming community players. We meet the baristas who make their ’hoods and get their urban picks.
Shelf obsession

For quality of life a local deli can make a real difference. These are Monocle’s five favourite food stores from around the world that are offering that bit extra, from the Sydney shop with its own homemade brands to an Italian ‘drogheria’ turned grocer. Make a note of their recipes and bestselling products too.

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Men and Womenswear / Benidorm

Prom party

For our summer shoot we’re strolling beside the sea in crisp, bright separates, sleek swimwear and smart sunglasses. The location? A once-mocked resort with some new-wave architecture.

Photography: Mark Sanders

Walk this way: West Beach

Benidorm’s West Beach is home to an extraordinary new promenade by Barcelona architects Carlos Ferrater and Zavier Marti Gali of OAB. A white concrete path winds for 1.5km between town and beach, providing a public space to walk along and access to the beach and car parks underneath.

The dramatic concrete structure juts over the sand (without encroaching on the precious beach) in a series of concave and convex “waves”, taking their cue from the sea. The colourful surface geometric tiles are punctuated with green spaces and public seating. More than just a clever exercise in linking town with beach, the promenade adds a much-needed element of class to the crowded beach resort.
ferrater.com

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