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
Culture and the city
The Urban Land Institute UK Urban Art Forum recently released a new six-step guide to including culture in developments; we look at some of the ways to ensure that culture remains a core part of city planning.
Down by the water
We look at some of the ways that waterside cities interact with their coastlines, from Oslo’s efforts to lower pollution to the fight against rising tides in New York. Plus: a report from Alexandria, Egypt’s second city.
Assessing the average
We discuss the impact an average-sized building, such as a mid-sized office or modest apartment block, can have on its community.
Handling a crisis
How should cities handle a crisis? As the threat of the coronavirus spreads, we look at how our urban areas have coped when disaster has struck, be it terrorism, a health emergency, a natural disaster or a cyber attack.
Moving capitals
We ask why leaders often flirt with the idea of changing their country’s capital and what it means if those plans go ahead.
Small Cities
They’re not for everyone but the best small cities can have life-enhancing advantages. Living in them isn’t only about space, comfort and affordability – but a more community-minded feel too.
Transit maps
How does the design of a transit map help to define a city? Our host Andrew Tuck is joined by three experts and enthusiasts in the field to discuss provenance and progression in the way we chart our transport lines – from London’s Tube to New York’s subway.
Best of Tall Stories 2019
We take a whirlwind trip around the world before returning home to London in our look back at the best of our Tall Stories series in 2019.
Best of 2019
Monocle’s Andrew Tuck runs through some of the highlights of 2019 on The Urbanist, including the thoughts of Los Angeles’ chief sustainability officer, a tour of the city of Cayenne and a discussion with architect Alfredo Brillembourg.
Smart ideas
Technology plays a huge role in our relationship with cities: from simple things such as being able to pay for your subway ride with your phone to more serious efforts such as using drones to help keep protests peaceful.
