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 411: AlUla Public Library
Mandy Sinclair gets a read of the ancient Saudi Arabian city of AlUla by visiting its public library.
Urban predictability
How can urban predictability help us design, plan and build better cities? We examine the real-world lessons that can be taken from digital environments, visit an urban environment simulator and explore how predictive artificial intelligence can be a beneficial tool for municipalities.
Tall Stories 410: The Algonquin Hotel, New York
Paul Logothetis visits one of New York’s oldest working hotels, which spawned the famous Algonquin Round Table, a who’s who of US literary elites.
Conflict and the city: spaces of peace
In the final part of our series looking at conflict and the city, we discuss how design and soft power can influence peace negotiations and better bring about constructive conversation between opposing parties.
Saadiyat Cultural District, Abu Dhabi
A special edition of the show marking its partnership with Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism. Robert Bound is joined by the chairman of the department, who discusses the latest developments at Saadiyat Cultural District in Abu Dhabi and delves deeper into the fascinating world of this unique cultural…
Tall Stories 409: The Giant Dipper, Santa Cruz
Tom Webb assesses the appeal of a historic wooden roller coaster that has just celebrated its 100th birthday.
Conflict and the city: rebuilding
In part two of our series looking at conflict and the city, we examine the concept of rebuilding, as well as how the character of the city plays a role in the process. Plus: how to create a new metropolis while showing compassion for the past.
Tall Stories 408: Seun Sangga, Seoul
Tomás Pinheiro tells us how Seoul’s first mixed-use development came about and the challenges that it will face in the future.
Conflict and the city: protest
In part one of our series looking at conflict and the city, we explore protests, their effect on the built environment and how activism is shaped by the public realm.
Tall Stories 407: Daughters of the American Revolution HQ, Washington
Charlotte McDonald-Gibson explores the largest women-owned piece of real estate in the US, which has played an important role in the history of the nation’s capital.
