The Urbanist
Monocle’s guide to better cities. Explore urban innovation, cutting-edge infrastructure, and compact living with insights from planners, architects, and city leaders.
Latest Episodes
Tall Stories 515: Escaping the urban jungle on Mumbai’s Malabar Hill Forest Trail
Rahul Kadri, the principal of IMK Architects, takes us to a jungle escape in the heart of bustling Mumbai.
How greenery improves our quality of life
To mark the release of Monocle’s Quality of Life Survey 2026, we look at how a focus on greenery could be a ticket to success. Plus: How Canada is preparing its cities for climate emergencies.
Tall Stories 514: The strange world of Zürich’s Bruno Weber Park
Laura Kramer explores an oasis inhabited by mythical creatures, a fairy-tale tower and giant mosaic-covered beasts on the outskirts of Zürich.
The World Cup effect on our cities
From adapting stadiums in the US to the evolution of Mexico City, we explore what hosting a mega-event such as the World Cup can mean for a city. Plus: Torontonians celebrate and how LA Metro handles the rush.
Tall Stories 513: Finding paradise in the real Shangri-La
Tom Webb takes us to the Chinese city named after the fictional 1933 literary paradise of Shangri-La to sort fact from fiction.
The pillars of architectural practice with a Scandinavian sensibility
Tomas Stokke joins us from Haptic, an architectural firm bringing Scandinavian style to global projects. We also meet Dicle Guntas from Forefront, who aims to revive downtowns through art.
Tall Stories 512: The strange transformation of Nara Juvenile Prison
Gendel Gento takes us to the last surviving example of Japan’s “Five Great Prisons” built during the Meiji era, which has recently undergone a transformation.
How can the real estate sector help Europe stay ahead of the competition?
Carlota Rebelo reports from the Urban Land Institute’s 2026 Europe Conference in Berlin, where we hear the most interesting voices in the real estate sector assess the challenges facing our cities.
Tall Stories 511: 50 years of London’s Undercroft Skate Space
Sophie Monaghan-Coombs learns about Undercroft Skate Space, a venue that has been central to the London skateboarding scene over the past half century.
How Sweden’s ‘fika’ mentality can improve city planning
We learn how one strategist is exporting Swedish fika values to help put city planners on the same page. We also hear about Hungary’s push to revive its urban green commons and how Turku Cathedral locks its doors.
