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
Music and the city
Acoustics and music can help shape the way people interact with their cities. But how aware are we of the sounds that surround us and are there places that are more musical than others? We discover how the music industry and city planning can be brought together and explore acoustic…
CityLab 2015
We report from CityLab, a two-and-a-half-day summit that gathered the world’s top mayors and urban leaders for a series of chats on how to to make our cities a better place. We explore the vision for London’s transport infrastructure, discover how Rio de Janeiro is gearing up its digital strategy…
Urban flashpoints
Be it gentrification, increasing housing prices or fighting for equality, cities are often the epicentre for protests and calls for change. This week we explore the issues shaping our cities, from anti-gentrification movements in Jaffa to a group going topless in New York for equality. Plus: we reflect on Hong…
Taxis
Taxis are a comfortable and fast way in which to travel but how do they affect public transport? From Cairo’s intense traffic to the taxi rank here in London, we assess the role cabs play in our cities and ask whether they provide a service no one else can. Plus:…
So you want to be an urbanist?
If you want to build a city, where do you start? From the importance of a well-designed waterfront to a clear balance of architectural aesthetics, we take a look at some of the crucial elements you should consider before you begin to sketch and plan. Plus: how to maximise a…
Build 2015, part two
We continue our coverage of this year’s Build conference in Bilbao. We discover how policy makers and civic thinkers are shaping our cities, explore Pittsburgh as a poster-city for resilience, see how cities learn from one another and ask what’s the best way to empower local leaders through technology. Plus:…
Build 2015, part one
The Bilbao Urban Innovation and Leadership Dialogues (Build) gathers civic leaders and philanthropists who are rethinking how our cities should be run. In the first part of our coverage of Build, we explore how Stuttgart has been dealing with an unprecedented number of refugees, see how The Skillman Foundation is…
Town squares
The original concept of the town square has evolved quite significantly through the years, so what lessons can we draw from its journey? Whether they’re the centre stage for political protests or the ideal place for your morning stroll, squares play an essential role in expanding the public realm.
You’re the inspiration
Where do cities take their inspiration from? In this episode of ‘The Urbanist’ we explore how our cities rely on each another to draw lessons and move forward, from New York and London tackling similar problems to how a bike-sharing scheme proved to be contagious. Plus: every continent claims to…
Walk the catwalk
We discover how fashion is weaved into the fabric of our cities, from the way New Delhi promotes ethics within the industry to how Paris is benefitting from its fashion capital status. Listen in as we head to Vancouver, home to the world’s only Eco Fashion Week. We also find…
