A Belgian couple living on Sri Lanka’s southern coast commissioned Japanese architect Tadao Ando to build them a weekend retreat. The concrete edifice he designed is a picture-perfect set-up for the artist and her husband…
Tadao Ando is one of the most respected architects in the world. Working against Japan’s ‘rip down and rebuild’ architectural policy, he is now burying structures underground, planting trees and wondering if it’s simply…
Japanese architect Tadao Ando has designed a striking new artists’ residency on Mexico’s Pacific coast where artists from around the world can pursue unique projects – and drink tequila.
Abu Dhabi is built on oil but the supply is not without a bottom. As a result, the city is morphing into a technology, and culture superpower. But who are the visionaries on the ground turning dreams into bricks and mortar…
The Japanese love vintage, but the idea of bidding for second-hand furniture is an unfamiliar concept. Now three entrepreneurs are bringing design classics to a new market in the country’s first modern and contemporary…
It was the perfect powdery snow blown in from Siberia that attracted the Aussie skiers. And when they decided to stay put and open hotels and cafés they kickstarted a small business and development boom in Niseko, a once…
The 42-year-old motorbike-riding CEO of one of Brazil’s biggest shopping empires tells Monocle how he runs such a huge company
while staying true to his family ethos.
Slowear successfully disregards ‘fashion’ in favour of quality, provenance and longevity, housing four of our favourite Italian clothing companies under one umbrella brand.
Retired architect Shigemi Asano teamed up with Tezuka Architects to create a home that marries modernity with local tradition. Inside, Asano has stripped it of all but the most essential of belongings, leaving the views of…
From regularly refreshed department stores to dedicated dog buggies, Japan revels in the retail details. Tyler Brûlé explains why nobody does it better and looks ahead to our next Quality of Life Conference.
Privacy and quiet in the city are in short supply but this mid-20th-century-inspired house in a lively Toronto shopping district is an object lesson in bold choices and the art of concealment.
Monocle talks to Japanese designers, architects and businessmen about what their country needs, post-election. Plus, Hong Kong combats its pollution, and Japan welcomes Chinese tourists - as long as they've got money to…
The new Tokyo Skytree, the world’s tallest freestanding tower, isn’t just about height. It’s a monument to the Japanese precision and care taken over its every detail.
A perfect day:
How often do you sit and plot what your perfect day would look and feel like? Do you try to imagine what sounds will wake you? Conjure up what smells will pull you out of bed? Do you think about what would…
Tokyo is one of the world’s most competitive commercial property markets but the fierce competition means that projects are finished on time and it is considered vital to get every detail right. The latest offering is…
Publishing granddaddy Magazine House has helped guide Japan’s cultural conversation with a stable of timely titles. Monocle met the president for a lesson in vitality and to discuss print’s place in a digital world.
