
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

Canada Water and Helsinki Innovation Districts
We explore two projects redefining urban areas, from a mega-development in an often overlooked area of London to a collection of groundbreaking projects in the suburbs of Helsinki.

Los Angeles’s urban challenges
We discuss some of the major urban challenges that face Los Angeles. We explore how the city administration and community are helping to overcome issues from extreme heat and drought to homelessness, affordable housing…

How can art help us experience cities differently?
We look at the power of arts in our urban environment, from a lights festival in Singapore that connects people with the city-state’s public spaces, to a former train yard in Lausanne that has…

Going underground
We look to the urban spaces below our feet, exploring the tunnels, passageways and even catacombs that exist under the buildings and roadways of our cities.

Sporting development
How can sports facilities drive social and economic change in our cities? This week, we look at how the humble basketball court can act as a community hub, hear about Las Vegas’s plan to…

Transit safety and bringing urbanism to the public
How are transit operators working to ensure rider safety when using public transport? We are in Canada to find out. Plus: an architecture film festival in Helsinki and a public debate on the lessons…

World Economic Forum: cities special
With more than 80 per cent of global GDP generated in cities, urban leaders need to be involved in conversations to ensure a more sustainable, resilient future. Monocle’s Carlota Rebelo reports from this year’s…

Rethinking the green revolution
We discuss how a green future for cities is stopping us from loving our urban environments as they are. Plus: two new releases that find a consensus between officials from around the world.

Best of ‘Tall Stories’ 2023
Monocle’s editor in chief, Andrew Tuck, rounds up his favourite episodes of ‘Tall Stories’ from the year.

The best of 2023
Monocle’s editor in chief, Andrew Tuck, looks back at some of his favourite interviews and reports from 2023 on ‘The Urbanist’.