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 85: Ho Chi Minh City’s scooters
Ho Chi Minh City is arguably most well known as being the site of one of the world’s most poignant political protests in the 1960s. But for modern-day visitors it is known for something more novel: scooters.
Bike lights, trains and neighbours
Our man in Seoul climbs aboard one of the new express trains to the Olympic village, Dublin is the testing ground for a new smart bike light and when was the last time you spoke to your neighbour?
Tall Stories 84: Ringturm
Presiding over the northwestern curve of Vienna’s Ringstrasse boulevard, the Ringturm carried a powerful message of reconstruction and renewal after the Second World War. Today its facade serves as a giant canvas for artworks and a lighthouse on the roof forecasts the weather using colour.
That’s rubbish
Waste management and recycling are essential components of what makes a city work for its citizens. This week we get down and dirty to find out how cities deal with different types of waste.
Tall Stories 83: Portuguese quiosques
Lisbon’s quirky ‘quiosques’ (kiosks) have been around since the mid-19th century and are partly responsible for the community spirit in the city today.
Technology and utopias
This week we hear how technology is helping companies collect data – and profits – from you, but also how it can help fight issues such as gun violence. Plus: a special report from the first edition of Torino-Stratosferica.
Tall Stories 82: Columbia Road flower market
We head to London’s East End to visit a short strip of street that turns into an urban garden every Sunday morning.
Special: Bill de Blasio’s second term
Bill de Blasio’s first term was marred by investigations into his fundraising, as well as disagreements with governor Andrew Cuomo and President Trump. So what are the issues at hand as he enters his second term?
Tall Stories 81: San Francisco’s fog
It comes out of nowhere, descending rapidly to chill and isolate residents and visitors alike. But the fog in San Francisco is more inspiring than inconvenient and viewed as a beloved part of the city’s fabric.
CityLab Paris, part 2: delivering change
The second part of our report from the urbanism conference. As more and more cities around the world start to think and act global, how can we better deliver change around the world?
