Why so moody?

Chapter 1

Vienna: a moody city

Our Vienna correspondent tells us why she feels there’s a strange underlying melancholy among the city’s inhabitants.

Chapter 2

Can a city ‘feel’ happy or sad?

Following the Brexit vote here in the UK we believe it’s fair to say that London “felt” a bit sad but can events such as this really have an impact on the mood of a city? Monocle editor Andrew Tuck is joined by Ruut Veenhoven, an emeritus-professor of social conditions for human happiness at Erasmus University Rotterdam.

Chapter 3

Singapore: towards a kinder city

While some cities are happy or sad, others have a bit more attitude. In the 51 years since it became an independent city-state Singapore has certainly become wealthy and very successful – but some worry that its focus on success has come at a price.

Chapter 4

Helsinki: using Flow Festival to promote urban wellbeing

How can festivals and other arts events lift the mood of a city? We report from Flow Festival, where city-planners, musicians and designers get together to conjure a utopian vision of urban culture – feeding off the notion of urban wellbeing and using it to provide inspiration for the rest of the year.