18 April 2019
Episode 392
30 minutes
Photo: ALAMY
Bigger planes and more flights have forced many cities to move their key airport far from the centre. But there is something special about watching the city from above as you land in what feels like the middle of it. This week we ask what makes a great city airport.
18 April 2019
Share episode
DownloadChapter 1
6 minutes
Photo: James Petts
15
15
/
London City airport is loved for its numerous transport connections and now thanks to the new Royal Wharf Pier, designed by Nex Architects, a ferry service will soon be able to drop passengers within a short walk of the departure lounge.
6 minutes
Share chapter 1

Chapter 3
5 minutes
Photo: ALAMY
15
15
/
Lisbon’s airport is one of the few in Europe that’s still located close to the heart of the city. But various governments have pushed for the Portuguese capital’s only landing strip to move elsewhere due to high costs and safety reasons.
5 minutes
Share chapter 3

Want more radio episodes like these in your inbox?
Sign up to Monocle’s email newsletters to stay on top of news and opinion, plus the latest from the magazine, radio, film and shop.
The Urbanist - latest episodes
Floriade – growing green cities
We report from the international horticultural show that takes place in the Netherlands every 10 years. Once it wraps up, the 60-hectare site will be adapted to become a fully functioning new part of the city of Almere.
Tall Stories 307: La Carbonería, Barcelona
David Stevens heads to the Catalan capital of Barcelona to visit a historic building that offers a fresh perspective on one of its long-hidden façades.
ULI Europe Conference: the future of cities
We’re in Brussels reporting from the Urban Land Institute’s Europe Conference and Young Leaders Forum to explore the emerging trends for cities and what comes next.
Tall Stories 306: Fort Jesus, Mombasa
Samson Mbogo visits Kenya’s Fort Jesus, a Unesco heritage site that is both a major tourist attraction and a symbol of a much darker history.
Global snapshots and city stories
We flick through a few city snapshots and discuss some stories that we have been following from around the globe.
Tall Stories 305: Sesc Pompéia, São Paulo
Monocle’s Ivan Carvalho looks at a remarkable piece of architecture designed by Lina Bo Bardi, whose efforts to preserve an oil-drum factory in the middle of Brazil’s biggest city resulted in a refined design that meets the…
Housing design
We look at the different ways in which cities are bringing innovative designs to their new housing stock to ensure that growing urban populations have a place that they can be proud to call home.
Tall Stories 304: The Red Fort, New Delhi
Geetanjali Krishna looks at the Red Fort in Delhi – and the claim to its ownership by a woman purporting to be the oldest surviving descendant of India’s last Mughal emperor.
Lessons from history
What lessons can cities learn from the past? We discuss Leonardo da Vinci’s plans for the ideal city, sketched after a pandemic; revisit the pneumatic tube system; and re-examine the humble drinking fountain.
Tall Stories 303: Jerusalem International YMCA
Emily Wither visits one of the world’s most stunning YMCA buildings to explore how the space has helped to bring together a divided city.
Helsinki report, part two: Innovation
How Helsinki is creating more liveable spaces, the latest technology being rolled out by Kone and we visit an active mine 200 metres below ground, which is now used as a testing laboratory for high-rise buildings.
Tall Stories 302: French Communist Party headquarters, Paris
Hester Underhill visits a strange subterranean building in the French capital designed by Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer.
Helsinki report, part one: Sustainability
Climate change is the biggest threat to our cities. Helsinki has set the ambitious target to be carbon-neutral by 2030, a goal matched by global engineering firm KONE. Monocle 24’s Carlota Rebelo reports from Finland.
Tall Stories 301: Bonus Facciate, Milan
Ed Stocker examines Milan’s recent obsession with building renovations and the tax incentives behind it.
Cleaner transport
What are some of the ways in which cities are ensuring that transport systems join the green revolution? We look at the electrification of buses, the return of a cable car in Zagreb and a subway expansion in Stockholm.