Urbanism
Sadiq Khan supports “a better Heathrow, not a bigger one” as £21bn runway plans are submitted
London’s mayor remains opposed to the 100 per cent privately-funded plans for a £21bn runway at Heathrow, and previously detailed to Monocle the reasoning behind his reluctance.


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What we gain and lose with the rise of sky gardens
Although green spaces are always a welcome addition to urban landscapes, vertical lawns can never replace real parks in the heart of cities.

How to tap nature’s chilling effect for a sustainable way to cool urban areas
The hum of power-hungry air conditioners has become the soundtrack of summer in the hottest cities. The architect behind a Gold Lion-winning pavilion at Venice Biennale shares a possible solution.

Seville, the ‘frying pan of Europe’, holds the secrets to managing the blistering summer heat
As temperatures continue to soar, heatwaves have become a Spanish tradition. The city of Seville is drawing on both ancient knowledge and cutting-edge science to keep its citizens cool.

How to cool cities naturally, without resorting to air conditioning
Humanity has adapted to environmental challenges. But to mitigate the effects of a warming world, cities must look to the past to glimpse a better future.

Caught in an architectural déjà-vu? Emre Arolat offers salvation, one building at a time
Too many architects are like faded pop stars, stuck belting out their design hits on repeat. But this Turkish architect makes buildings that speak to the present in new ways.

Monocle’s Quality of Life Survey 2025: The 10 most liveable cities in the world
We present our 18th annual Quality of Life survey: a ranking of the world’s municipalities according to what they do better than anyone else, be it health, safety, housing or nightlife.

We should follow the rules less – our quality of life depends on it
Strict rules make for dull lives. The best cities know when to look the other way…

Some cities are beyond compare – our liveability index spotlights 10 places doing things differently
When I was living in Naples for a short while, I had a friend, Antonio, who would let out a scornful “pah” every time I asked him to name the best example of a…

Ten building blocks to solve the housing crisis
Constructing more homes is just part of the answer. Here, our manifesto presents creative solutions to society’s bricks-and-mortar problem.

Copenhagen’s latest park demonstrates the virtues of having no kids on the block
Inside the sanctuary of Opera Park, a child-free green space designed strictly for grown-ups.
