Monocle on Design
Your essential guide to design, covering furniture, craft, and architecture. Discover fresh stories, rising talents, and the latest from top studios.
Latest Episodes
Form, function and the future
We visit the Mingeikan – the Japan Folk Crafts Museum – to speak to its director-designer Naoto Fukasawa, who has used Japan’s Mingei crafts movement to inform his globally renowned products. Plus: we look at design’s future and the role of artificial intelligence with Daisuke Ishii, Sony’s chief art director,…
Extra: A higher power
In an increasingly secular society, designs for worship are changing to reflect the needs of parishioners, many of whom crave calm in busy cities. Monocle’s Design editor Nolan Giles takes a closer look at modern religious architecture.
London Design Festival
We bring you the best from London Design Festival, including interviews with festival director Ben Evans, experimental designer Marlène Huissoud and Sir Ian Blatchford of the Science Museum, Italian furniture master Patrizia Moroso and sculpture designer Liz West. Plus Paul Cocksedge explains how he made his standout “Please Be Seated”…
Extra: ‘Exploring the city’
Ahead of our full report from the event, we speak to Ben Evans, co-founder and director of London Design Festival, about how temporary spaces can inspire lasting change in a city’s design outlook.
Under the covers
We welcome back design writer Katie Treggiden to run through the sharpest magazines and publishing projects catching her eye. Plus: our creative director Richard Spencer Powell talks about designing not only the latest edition of the magazine but a new soon-to-launch title from the Monocle stable.
Extra: ‘Creative Spaces’
We speak to Ted Vadakan who co-founded LA art-and-design brand Poketo along with Angie Myung. He talks about their new book ‘Creative Spaces’.
Istanbul’s design future
Monocle’s Nolan Giles explores an Istanbul neighbourhood that is being reinvigorated by design and pays a visit to the city’s Bilgi University Faculty of Architecture. Plus: we check out Design Week Helsinki and speak to Philippe Brocart, managing director of world-leading interiors fair Maison et Objet.
Extra: Inner worlds
A look at hidden design and architecture that’s tucked away from the street, as we speak with photographers Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre about their project “Budapest Courtyards”.
Outside the box
Author Shiromi Pinto speaks to Josh Fehnert about her architecturally informed novel ‘Plastic Emotions’, which details the relationship between Sri Lankan modernist architect Minnette de Silva and Swiss-French design icon Le Corbusier. Plus: in praise of courtyards and the latest design headlines from Katie Treggiden.
Extra: Supermarket sweep
We check out supermarket design and learn why the architecture of one outlet in London, created by architect Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, is now protected as a heritage site.
