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
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.
Tall Stories 493: The Tallinn Song Festival Grounds
Petri Burtsoff takes us to a festival grounds that acts as a lasting symbol of Estonian national pride.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Urban lessons from the World Economic Forum and the Holcim Foundation Awards
Carlota Rebelo reports from the World Economic Forum in Davos to share some urban lessons from this year’s meeting. Then: Ed Stocker gives us a run-down on the most recent Holcim Foundation Awards for sustainable construction.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 492: Todo Modo, Florence
Grace Charlton takes us to a literary stalwart and community pillar in Florence.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Development priorities in Canadian cities and a decade of co-operation in Cascadia
We’re joined by former City of Toronto chief planner Gregg Lintern to discuss priorities for Canadian cities. Plus: we visit Cascadia to see what has come from the mega-region’s decade-long formal partnership.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 491: Australian War Memorial, Canberra
Andrew Mueller takes us to the Australian War Memorial to find out the nature of and reasons for its recent refit.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What energy should we take into 2026 in order to face climate change head on?
We meet Dr Gary Yohe, a Nobel Peace prize recipient for his work on the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Then: we discover the stories behind Britain’s cooling towers, a brutalist structure that once dominated our skylines.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 490: How renovations stripped Bangkok’s Robot Building of its personality
Tomás Pinheiro explains how an act of urban erasure in the Thai capital stole the charm from one of the city’s iconic structures.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The best of ‘Tall Stories’ in 2025
Monocle’s editor in chief, Andrew Tuck, rounds up his favourite episodes of ‘Tall Stories’ from 2025.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The best of 2025
Monocle’s editor-in-chief Andrew Tuck recalls some of his favourite interviews and reports from the year on ‘The Urbanist’.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How healthcare-facility design can improve the lives of all city dwellers
We assess how the design of healthcare facilities can improve not just the experience of treatment but also the neighbourhoods in which these centres stand.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 489: Touro Synagogue, Newport, Rhode Island
Gregory Scruggs tells us the tale of the oldest existing synagogue in the United States.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
‘Architecture is Climate’
We speak to Jeremy Till and Tatjana Schneider – two of the authors behind ‘Architecture is Climate’ – a new book rethinking the industry and its foundations in an age of ecological crisis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 488: The bunker in Schönbornpark, Vienna
Alexei Korolyov visits an air-raid bunker that has laid empty for decades but is now being brought back to life through art.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
MIPIM Asia 2025: What are Asian cities learning from each other?
We report from MIPIM Asia in Hong Kong, where delegates from across the APAC region and beyond discussed solutions to meet the rapid pace of urbanisation. Plus: a city reeling from a devastating fire in Tai Po.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 487: Strolling Athens’ stoas
Paul Logothetis takes us to an iconic feature of Athens’ urban fabric – covered walkways offering much needed shade and a space for socialising.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Testing the pressure on our cities with the 2025 Workforce Preference Barometer
JLL’s Sue Asprey Price joins us to discuss the findings from the Workforce Preference Barometer 2025. Then Charlotte McDonald-Gibson reports on the challenges of training for combat in urban environments.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 486: The towering beauty of Switzerland’s Grande Dixence Dam
Jessica Bridger marvels at the tallest dam in Europe, which was constructed in the 1950s and supplies about 20 per cent of Switzerland’s stored energy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What relationship does South Korea have with public art? Plus: Dubai Design Week and Riba president Chris Williamson.
We speak to South Korean artist Jinjoon Lee about how his country interacts with public art, Inzamam Rashid visits an acclaimed installation from Dubai Design Week and we meet new Riba president Chris Williamson.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 485: Helsinki Upper Secondary School of Natural Sciences
Petri Burtsoff takes us to a first-of-its-kind wooden educational building in the Finnish capital.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Planning the cities of the future at the Smart City Expo World Congress
We visit the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona to talk shop with the mayor of Kuala Lumpur, an acclaimed futurist, a transportation official from Los Angeles and the event’s director. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 484: Marin County Civic Center, San Rafael
Ivan Carvalho chronicles the story of Frank Lloyd Wright’s largest public project, the final commission in his impressive body of work.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Liz Diller on how the High Line continues to evolve in New York
We speak to Liz Diller – the mind behind New York’s High Line – visit Bratislava’s first dedicated centre for architecture and urbanism, and assess how Canada is dealing with urban growing pains.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 483: Abou Elie – where Beirut's history, politics and nightlife converge
Noor Amylia Hilda takes us to a much-loved pub founded by a former member of the Lebanese Communist Party.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Unpacking the secrets of city making at Turin’s Utopian Hours
Monocle’s man in Milan, Ed Stocker, decamps to Turin to bring us a collection of conversations from Utopian Hours, the festival dedicated to city making. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
IPUT special: a tour of Wilton Park and how it’s transforming Dublin
We explore Wilton Park, a stunning 600,000 sq ft development by IPUT, Dublin’s leading property-investment company. Chief executive Niall Gaffney gives us a tour and talks about quality of life in urban settings.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 482: The Watergate Complex, Washington
Charlotte McDonald-Gibson uncovers the modern story behind the US capital’s most infamous building.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Olafur Eliasson and how public art changes your perspective on a city
What role does public art play in how we engage with our cities? This week we meet acclaimed artist Olafur Eliasson and explore the Sculpture in the City programme in the City of London.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 481: Hengermalom, Budapest
Alexei Korolyov takes us to the former site of one of Budapest’s largest flour mills, which has been reborn as a lively cultural hub.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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