The Urbanist
The Urbanist is Monocle's guide to making better cities, covering topics such as new technology, state-of-the-art subways, and compact apartments. It has an influential audience of city mayors, urban planners, and architects. The podcast was a nominee in the Smartest Podcast category of the 2019 British Podcast awards.
Episodes
Nadim Karam on the healing power of public art
Beiruti artist Nadim Karam joins us to discuss how art can be restorative to a city. We also speak to two members of the team behind the new Shenzhen Natural History Museum and preview the agenda for Comotion LA 2026.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 531: How Ascensor Concepción helps Valparaiso reach new heights
Jane Chambers visits Valparaiso’s oldest funicular to experience how this feat of engineering is still an important part of daily life.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
If cities can’t take the heat, they need to rethink their design
We discuss how design can make urban centres more liveable amid rising temperatures, looking at the best examples from Rome to Dubai.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 530: The unique Soviet design behind Estonia’s Saare KEK building
Petri Burtsoff takes us to a rare piece of experimental, woman-led 1980’s Soviet design off the coast of Estonia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Livex Abu Dhabi: Meet the former mayors
In our second episode from the Livex livability exhibition in Abu Dhabi, we hear from former mayors who helped to make their cities more livable. Plus: designing for wellness.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 529: Montreal’s Golden Square Mile
Paul Logothetis tells us the history of a section of central Montreal that manages to straddle the line between high class and hip.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Livex Abu Dhabi: Liveable and loveable cities
In our first of two episodes from the Livex liveability exhibition in Abu Dhabi, we hear from some exciting guests aiming to build cities that serve their people best.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 528: The world’s largest heat storage facility in Vantaa
Wif Stenger takes us underground in the Finnish city of Vantaa to explore a district heating plan of world-beating proportions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Studio by IPUT special: How food and beverage can help a neighbourhood thrive
In the second of two special episodes in partnership with Studio by IPUT, Carlota Rebelo heads to Ireland to explore how well-run cafes, artisanal bakeries and a chef’s studio are shaping the Dublin of tomorrow.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How Kuwait City’s overlooked objects contribute to its urban character
We visit an exhibition in Dubai from Kuwaiti designer Hamad Almuzaini that explores how overlooked items can characterise a city. Plus: The Roofless Truth about homelessness. And: plant adoption at the Barbican Conservatory.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 527: Thrills and chills in Munich’s Eisbach
Valerie Hamilton takes us on a wild ride through one of the world’s largest urban parks for a Munich rite of passage.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Studio by IPUT Real Estate special: Instilling emotion into workplaces through good hospitality
In the first of two special episodes in partnership with Studio by IPUT Real Estate, we convene a discussion with its chief executive, Niall Gaffney, and the founder of design firm Gorgeous Group, Robbie Bargh.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Designing One London, a new skyscraper for the UK’s capital
We speak to the architect and developer behind a new skyscraper planned for the City of London. Then we hear what Lisbon and Maputo – two cities with a shared language and culture – can learn from each other.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 526: Mother Nature on display at Apple Park
Ivan Carvalho takes us for a tour inside a tech-focused campus where greenery is also given its fair share of attention. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Toponymic planning: Manchesterism and the Toronto Model
From Manchester championing the decentralisation of design expertise to Toronto’s technique for getting more out of transit-oriented developments, we explore two planning concepts named after their home cities.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 525: Toronto’s eye-catching ‘Global Convenience’
Tomos Lewis takes us to a seemingly out-of-place public art installation currently floating on Lake Ontario.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How the City Rail Link can rewrite Auckland’s future
We convene a roundtable discussion with Gosha Haley, Ludo Campbell-Reid and Gyles Bendall on the future of Auckland, as the metropolis prepares for a new era of mobility with the City Rail Link. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 524: The silver-screen allure of Park Hyatt Tokyo’s New York Bar
Gendel Gento explores a recently refurbished hotel bar in Tokyo, which is a must-visit for cinephiles.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How New York plans to reimagine its famous Fifth Avenue and its bus system
We speak with Madelyn Wils, who is heading up an overhaul of Fifth Avenue, and New York transportation commissioner Mike Flynn about rethinking bus transit. Plus: Alison Donnally from JoeyCo on live-work arrangements.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 523: The multipurpose magic of Hong Hong’s HSBC Building
Tomas Pinheiro takes us to a Hong Kong tower built for banking that now plays many different roles for the city’s residents.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How an all-women team reimagined condo design in Toronto
We speak to Heather Rolleston from BDP Quadrangle about the firm’s recent condo development in Toronto, which was brought about by an all-women team. Plus: architect Shimul Javeri Kadri explains the idea of “storytelling architecture”.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 522: Why is Turku Castle so important to the Finnish?
Petri Burtsoff takes us to Finland’s oldest building, which has become a symbol for Finns and is one of the most visited sights in the country to this day.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How to build a city? Focus on quality of life
Journalist and author Gabriella Bennett discusses her recent book ‘How To Build A City: Journeys into the Urban Future’. Plus: we take a dip at the Swimmable Cities European Forum in Basel.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 521: The murky future of Vancouver’s Kitsilano Pool
Gregory Scruggs takes us to Vancouver’s Kitsilano Pool, a saltwater bathing spot whose future is uncertain due to its desperate need for refurbishment.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Finding a home for The Beatles’ Abbey Road crossing and London’s Museum of Youth Culture
We look at the new home for London’s Museum of Youth Culture, a Chicago collective who embeds cultural venues into neighbourhoods and traffic solutions for The Beatles’ Abbey Road crossing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 520: Vienna’s art nouveau Tennisclub SV Schwarz-Blau
Alexei Korolyov takes us to one of Vienna’s most architecturally stunning tennis clubs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Designing a modern library that is relevant to people and place
We review a new library project in Oregon, learn about a system helping Swedish city-dwellers share and find out how to build sticky neighbourhoods.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 519: Exploring Caracas’ panoramic Humboldt Hotel
Gustavo Ocando Alex tells us the story of Hotel Humboldt, which sits on the northern hills of Caracas.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thomas Heatherwick on generosity in urban design and how to sustain a project’s momentum
We assess two long-running London projects: Thomas Heatherwick joins us to talk about Olympia; while Nick Watson outlines the decades of progress at Elephant Park.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 518: The past and present grow together at Chengdu’s West Village
Tomás Pinheiro takes us to West Village in Chengdu to see how local vernacular and modern-day needs go hand in hand in this megaproject.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How London’s South Bank has supported culture for 75 years
The CEO of South Bank Employers’ Group discusses how the area’s institutions work together to help each other flourish. We also speak to the author of a book that imagines a post-carbon future for our cities.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 517: How La Bulla is making itself heard in Veracruz
Verity de Cala takes us to La Bulla in Mexico’s coastal city of Veracruz to see how this park redevelopment project is impacting the local community.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How to support the ecosystems that make up our cities
We consider the relationship between our cities and nature as we explore the sponge city concept and learn how our buildings can be kinder to birdlife. Plus: we head to the Finnish city sprinting for carbon neutrality.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 516: Beirut’s Sporting Beach Club
Noor Amylia Hilda visits a gallant collection of concrete platforms and saltwater pools on Beirut’s coast that has outlasted the Lebanese Civil War, the 1982 Israel-Lebanon war and economic crises.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Designing for the future: how the technology sector impacts urban design
We find out how to make the buildings of the future serve the cities of today, with urban-friendly data centre design and reimagined technology districts. Plus: why is Singapore so good at planning for its aging population?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 515: Escaping the urban jungle on Mumbai’s Malabar Hill Forest Trail
Rahul Kadri, the principal of IMK Architects, takes us to a jungle escape in the heart of bustling Mumbai.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How greenery improves our quality of life
To mark the release of Monocle’s Quality of Life Survey 2026, we look at how a focus on greenery could be a ticket to success. Plus: How Canada is preparing its cities for climate emergencies.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 514: The strange world of Zürich’s Bruno Weber Park
Laura Kramer explores an oasis inhabited by mythical creatures, a fairy-tale tower and giant mosaic-covered beasts on the outskirts of Zürich.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The World Cup effect on our cities
From adapting stadiums in the US to the evolution of Mexico City, we explore what hosting a mega-event such as the World Cup can mean for a city. Plus: Torontonians celebrate and how LA Metro handles the rush. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 513: Finding paradise in the real Shangri-La
Tom Webb takes us to the Chinese city named after the fictional 1933 literary paradise of Shangri-La to sort fact from fiction. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The pillars of architectural practice with a Scandinavian sensibility
Tomas Stokke joins us from Haptic, an architectural firm bringing Scandinavian style to global projects. We also meet Dicle Guntas from Forefront, who aims to revive downtowns through art.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 512: The strange transformation of Nara Juvenile Prison
Gendel Gento takes us to the last surviving example of Japan’s “Five Great Prisons” built during the Meiji era, which has recently undergone a transformation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How can the real estate sector help Europe stay ahead of the competition?
Carlota Rebelo reports from the Urban Land Institute’s 2026 Europe Conference in Berlin, where we hear the most interesting voices in the real estate sector assess the challenges facing our cities.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 511: 50 years of London’s Undercroft Skate Space
Sophie Monaghan-Coombs learns about Undercroft Skate Space, a venue that has been central to the London skateboarding scene over the past half century.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How Sweden’s ‘fika’ mentality can improve city planning
We learn how one strategist is exporting Swedish fika values to help put city planners on the same page. We also hear about Hungary’s push to revive its urban green commons and how Turku Cathedral locks its doors.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 510: Exploring Taiwan’s flying-saucer ghost town
Stefan Dubowski takes us to the beaches of Taiwan’s Wanli district to see a largely abandoned collection of futuristic abodes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Why does a safer city for children mean a better urban environment for all?
We check back in with our friends at the Start With Children, and hear from the duo who hosted one of the organisation’s miniseries of lectures, Melissa and Chris Bruntlett. Plus: we hear from this year’s World Urban Forum in Baku.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 509: Taking in Mt Fuji from a new tourist-focused train route
Julia Kim rides the Hokusai Special Train – a new journey aimed at foreign tourists to take in breathtaking views of Mt Fuji.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Why co-housing could be the answer to urban loneliness
We explore a new style of neighbourhood that could improve social connection and ease cost of living. We also assess Vietnam’s evolving tourism landscape and see how mayors are fighting back against authoritarianism.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Arup at 80: Design for what’s next
A special episode brought to you in collaboration with Arup. We hear from Anna König Jerlmyr, former mayor of Stockholm; Raj Patel, Arup’s chief innovation officer; and award-winning designer Thomas Heatherwick.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 508: Inside Jaipur’s traditional enclosed bazaars
Geetanjali Krishna explores Jaipur’s ‘katlas’ – traditional enclosed market spaces that continue to thrive despite the city’s growing number of shopping malls.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Old and new: How to build a neighborhood and reinvent a historic one
We discover two projects aiming to deliver a human-centric masterplan: Ion Riva in Turkey and Diriyah in Saudi Arabia. Plus: how the Fleet Street Quarter is reinventing the historic London district.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 507: Maracaibo’s Iglesia Cristo de Aranza
Gustavo Ocando Alex takes us to a church in Venezuela’s second city of Maracaibo that helps tell the story of the country’s history.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Collaboration and experimentation at the Bloomberg CityLab summit in Madrid
Carlota Rebelo reports from the Bloomberg CityLab summit in Madrid, bringing us conversations with the most insightful speakers who have descended on the Spanish capital.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 506: The renaissance of Suzhou Creek’s Left Bank
Tomás Pinheiro heads to Shanghai’s Suzhou Creek to see how the area went from a forgotten district to a sought-after commercial and residential location.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A bridge designer’s guide to connecting communities
Bridge designer Ezra Groskin from Moxon Architects talks about how his craft connects our cities. Then: Kate Brown describes the quiet revolutions garnered from tiny gardens in our urban environments.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 505: Linz’s Grottenbahn – a dreamland surrounded by history
Alexei Korolyov takes a ride on Linz’s Grottenbahn – a classic tourist attraction that takes you through one of the city’s former fortification towers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How major events have influenced Milan’s urban infrastructure
We look at the legacy left by Milan’s Expo 2015 and the Olympic Winter Games on urban infrastructure. Then: Ottawa’s winter-transport report. Plus: Hong Kong’s plans to develop 120 hectares of protected wetlands. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 504: Caracas’s El Helicoide – from mall to political prison to rebirth
Camille Rodríguez Montilla investigates the dark history and hopeful future of Caracas’s mall-turned-political-prison – El Helicoide.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Breaking ground or breaking promises? New York mayor Zohran Mamdani’s first 100 days in office
We discuss some of the promises that led to Zohran Mamdani’s election, from affordability and small businesses to transit. Plus: how are immigrant communities reacting to one of their own sitting in city hall? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 503: The Sámi Cultural Centre in Finland and its impact
Petri Burtsoff takes us to Sajos, in Finland’s northern Lapland, a centre for culture and administration in the Sámi community.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Finding out what our urban futures hold in Ljubljana
Guy de Launey reports from Urban Future, a Better Cities event taking place this year in the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 502: The Columbus Lighthouse’s bizarre origin story
Gregory Scruggs tells the odd tale of the energy-sapping totem that is Santo Domingo’s Columbus Lighthouse.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How Apple delivers a sense of place to the built environment
We speak with Apple’s VP of places, Kristina Raspe, about how the tech giant’s real-estate portfolio adds to cities. Then: the changing face of Medellin and we farewell our long-time producer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 501: How does Taipei 101 stay standing? It’s what’s inside that counts
Clarissa Wei climbs Taiwan’s best-known tower to investigate the clever engineering that keeps it in the sky.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
More from the world’s leading real estate event – Mipim
We reflect on Mipim conversations with the executive director of UN Habitat, as well as representatives from the New York City Housing Authority, Miami-Dade Beacon Council and ING Media.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 500: Shadows of Errol Flynn in Mallorca
Andrew Tuck goes searching for the remains of the home of a 1930s Hollywood star in Mallorca’s Bay of Palma.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Meet the mayors at Mipim, the world’s leading real-estate event
We report from the world’s leading real estate event, Mipim. Here we meet mayors from Turku to Genoa and Lisbon to Rome who are putting their city’s best foot forward to drive investment. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 499: Masterful mixed-use at Singapore’s Tiong Bahru Estate
Tomas Pinheiro takes us to Tiong Bahru Estate to see how Singapore is able to succeed at the 15 minute city model within just one urban development.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Balancing security and aesthetic appeal in Oslo’s New Government Quarter
We visit Oslo to see the New Government Quarter, which has transformed the site of the city’s 2011 terrorist attacks into an open, civic space. Then: we explore the new Louise Tower on Brussels’s iconic Avenue Louise.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 498: The many faces of the Maritime Hotel in New York
Paul Logothetis takes us to a hotel in Manhattan that has been transforming since its construction in the 1960s.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Málaga has transformed – but does its second act come at a cost?
We speak to Málaga’s officials, architects, artists and restaurateurs to assess its urban transformation. Plus: we speak to the CEO of Arup to hear about how the firm is helping cities to thrive. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 497: Maracaibo's modest Metro system
Gustavo Ocando Alex tells the story of the Maracaibo Metro, which has garnered a particularly diminutive nickname thanks to its limited coverage – the result of a lack of funding and alleged corruption.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
North America’s fastest-growing city: How Toronto is taking shape
Training our lens on Toronto, we look at Pinnacle Skytower, one of its newest skyscrapers; explore Indigenous Hub, a new mixed-use development; and learn about Frank Darling, an architectural icon of the city.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 496: Villa Beer – a modernist monument in Vienna
Alexei Korolyov visits a key work of Viennese modernism by Austrian design icon Josef Frank, which has been reopened after a five-year restoration.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How Santo Domingo’s old town is attractive for both residents and visitors
We visit the capital of the Dominican Republic to see how its historic centre is balancing residential and tourist appeal. We also stop by Sydney’s newly reopened fish market and hear from the co-CEO of Waymo.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 495: Practising preservation at The Assembly House in Buffalo
Dennis Maher, artist and the founder and director of The Assembly House, describes how his project is helping to preserve more than just structures in the city of Buffalo.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Cities on the agenda at the World Governments Summit in Dubai
We report from the World Governments Summit, where we speak to Khalfan Belhoul of Dubai Future Foundation; German minister for digital transformation Karsten Wildberger; and Muhannad Tayem from Deloitte Middle East.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 494: Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library, Budapest
Geetanjali Krishna takes us to Budapest's largest public collection of books to study how its popularity with locals is growing, thanks to recent Hungarian literary success.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Melbourne’s Metro Tunnel and Mexican architect Tatiana Bilbao’s view on housing
We explore the Melbourne Metro Tunnel, which has recently opened in the Victorian capital. Plus: Mexican architect Tatiana Bilbao joins Monocle’s Ed Stocker to discuss how she challenges norms to champion social housing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
