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
Biennale Architettura 2021
‘The Urbanist’ is on the road again, as we report from the 17th Venice Architecture Biennale.
Repopulating the city centre
We take stock of more than a year’s worth of temporary urbanism, behavioural data and “new-normal” thinking in our cities to find out the best ways to bring life back to the centre.
Episode 500
In a special extended programme celebrating 500 episodes of ‘The Urbanist’, we reverse the roles and make Andrew Tuck the guest for a change. Join us as we take a sonic trip down memory lane and even bring you a blooper or two.
The power of the mayor
With local elections in the UK this week and a mayoral race in New York later this year, we look at the role of local government and how it can actively change the lives of citizens for the better.
Olympics special part two: Legacy
We examine how the Olympic Games can change our cities for the better and discuss the potential that the event can unleash in urban areas. Monocle’s editor in chief, Andrew Tuck, talks to Christophe Dubi, executive director of the Olympic Games at the IOC, and Hannah Burns, its associate director…
Olympics special, part one: Tokyo 2020
For many cities, the Olympic Games are an opportunity to show to the world why they are great metropolises and a tool for reinventing themselves. In episode one of our two-part series, we look at the upcoming Games, Tokyo 2020. Monocle’s editor in chief Andrew Tuck speaks with Gavin McAlpine,…
Can a building be bad?
This week we look at controversial built environments, often the legacy of dictatorships and fascism, and how cities around the world have dealt with their pasts.
Urban lighting
We might not think about it very often but high-quality urban lighting is a determining factor in how we experience our cities. In this episode we look at the history of light in urban environments, how they can make places safer and even nighttime design. Plus: how crucial lighting is…
Building back equally
We rewrite that most recent of urbanist battle cries and look at how to build back equally.
The future of US transportation
With a new administration in residence at the White House and cities beginning to recover from the pandemic, is there some hope on the horizon for transport in the United States?
