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 109: Merihaka
This week we head to Helsinki to hear the story of the brutalist high-rise Merihaka: one of the city’s most unloved buildings.
Venice Biennale and more
We report from the Venice Biennale 2018 where we sit down for a chat with the architect David Chipperfield and also with Helsinki’s mayor Jan Vapaavuori. We also meet the architect running for mayor of Bratislava and find out what he might bring to the table.
Tall Stories 108: London’s Principal
We visit London’s Bloomsbury neighbourhood to hear the story of a recently refurbished 1890s gem: the Principal hotel.
Cities in focus
We meet the architect and artist Daan Roosegaarde to hear about his projects tackling air pollution, look at the legacy of the outgoing mayor of Vienna and catch up with Egypt’s plans for a purpose-built administrative capital.
Tall Stories 107: Alexandra Palace
This week we hear the story of one of London’s Victorian wonders: Alexandra Palace. It has long served as a centre for entertainment in north London, despite its tumultuous past.
Mobility and more
This week we report from a new exhibition highlighting how London changes once the sun sets, have a discussion about driverless cars and ask if a light-rail project is finally coming to Canberra?
Tall Stories 106: Wellington’s waterfront
This week we head to New Zealand’s capital to discover the resourceful way the city has expanded since its 19th-century European settlement.
What’s new?
This week we meet graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister, hear all about Groningen’s cycling revolution and get a sneak peek of the University of Toronto’s School of Cities.
Tall Stories 105: Tsukiji Honganji
If you were trying to picture a traditional Japanese temple it probably wouldn’t look anything like Tsukiji Honganji. This week our Asia bureau chief Fiona Wilson brings us the story of one of Tokyo’s most iconic Buddhist temples.
A few things
We empty out The Urbanist closet to bring you some of the stories we’ve been working on, including: urban art in Toronto, architecture through the eyes of Claude Monet and a chat with Bruce Katz about his new book ‘The New Localism’.
