14 August 2023
05 minutes
Photo: Alamy
Tomás Pinheiro takes us to Auroville, an experimental township mostly in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, to see what lessons we can learn from this “laboratory for humanity”.
14 August 2023
Share episode
DownloadWant more radio episodes like these in your inbox?
Sign up to Monocle’s email newsletters to stay on top of news and opinion, plus the latest from the magazine, radio, film and shop.
The Urbanist - latest episodes
Urban transformation in the US
This week, we take the temperature of urban development in the US and check in with a few projects currently under way. We explore The Underline in Miami, Hazelwood Green in Pittsburgh, Detroit’s tallest skyscraper in 50…
Tall Stories 406: Terminal 2, Kempegowda International Airport
Geetanjali Krishna touches down in Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport to experience the wonders of its verdant, new 255,000 sq m terminal.
Who holds the power in our cities?
We look at democracy in urban areas and examine city planning and the impact of voter choice. How can decision making in cities become more open and inclusive? Plus: we go back to the beginning to discover how candidates…
Tall Stories 405: River Shannon
Sarah Grice recalls a fishy tale about the longest river in the British Isles, the Shannon in Ireland.
Sustainable building materials and circular construction
As global urban development continues at pace, the need to use sustainable materials and building techniques in our cities increases. How is innovation helping the construction industry to reduce its impact on the enviro…
Tall Stories 404: San Siro, Milan
Ivan Carvalho visits San Siro Stadium to see what is next for this storied piece of sporting infrastructure in Milan.
Transforming Heal’s, Dutch high-rise housing and innovation hubs
We explore the newly transformed spaces in the historic Heal’s department store in London, investigate the new building frontiers required to tackle the Netherlands’ housing needs and find out what makes an effective inn…
Tall Stories 403: Rand Club, Johannesburg
Elna Schutz takes us to a Johannesburg institution that is almost as old as the city itself to see how the space has retained its classic charm while remaining relevant.
The Chiefs – Hong Kong
A few on-stage highlights from Monocle’s The Chiefs conference in Hong Kong, from Kevin Mark Low on architectural benchmarks and Noni Purnomo on tackling traffic to Yuta Oka on small-scale hospitality that revitalises…
Tall Stories 402: Suomenlinna, Helsinki
Petri Burtsoff takes us to a historic military fortress off the coast of Helsinki to see how Finns make use of the island today.
Guerilla gardening, winter cycling and vacancy tax
Green thumbs can help to transform communities. We speak to an activist and horticulturist about how gardening has had a positive effect on his neighbourhood – and helped it to heal after tragedy. Then: we find out how two…
Tall Stories 401: Bulgur Palace, Istanbul
Emily Wither explores the effect that the ‘Bulgur King’ had on Istanbul’s skyline.
Are sports developments for the good of the community?
How can sporting developments bring about community change and have a lasting legacy, while driving equality and protecting the environment? Our guests, Lindsay Johnston, Kevin Owens and Angus Campbell, discuss all of this…
Tall Stories 400: Tenement Museum, New York
Mandy Sinclair takes us on a tour through one of the Tenement Museum’s homes to tell the story of a New York couple from the 1860s.
Mipim 2024
We’re in Cannes to report from the world’s leading property fair, Mipim, where more than 20,000 property professionals have gathered to discuss the future of our cities and the built environment.
