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 153: Brooklyn Point
Over the past few years, Brooklyn has shape-shifted almost beyond recognition. That change is anchored by City Point, which will be the largest retail and entertainment destination in the borough.
In praise of the city airport
Bigger planes and more flights have forced many cities to move their key airport far from the centre. But there is something special about watching the city from above as you land in what feels like the middle of it. This week we ask what makes a great city airport.
Tall Stories 152: Portland’s Koin Center
Built in 1984, this art deco-style tower by the Hawthorne bridge is one of the most recognisable buildings in the city’s skyline.
Shouting from the rooftops
We explore the many options for urban-rooftop spaces. From city agriculture to solar power, drinking and dining to drone parking, we go through some potential plans for your next upper-level project.
Tall Stories 151: the Otto-Wagner Hospital
A psychiatric hospital built by the giant of 20th-century Austrian architecture, Otto Wagner, is now due to vacate the premises to make way for apartments and a university.
What’s new?
We find out why Amsterdam wants to reclaim more than 11,000 car-parking spaces, how a Paris suburb is limbering up for the 2024 Olympic Games, get a dose of immersive tourism in Sarajevo and a look at Chicago’s newly elected mayor.
Tall Stories 150: Pittsburgh’s bridges
This week we head to the steel powerhouse of Pittsburgh, which happens to be the proud home of 446 bridges.
Affordable housing
We look at Helsinki’s model of mixed housing, Cairo’s plan to end all slum dwellings by the end of the year and hear why the state of California is suing some of its own cities over affordability.
Tall Stories 149: Sick-building syndrome
This week we look at this poorly understood phenomenon, spotlighting Alexander Fleming House in London by modernist architect Ernö Goldfinger.
New projects
We look at Hong Kong’s Lantau Tomorrow Vision project, hear about a new all-female ride-sharing company in São Paulo and more.
