The Urbanist

Geetanjali Krishna takes us to Budapest’s pioneering “ruin bar” to see how urban environments persevere through destruction.

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We review some strong city journalism to see how these publications and productions are helping city residents to stay informed about the environments that they live, work and play in.

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Sheena Rossiter tells us the story of Tyra, the world’s largest dinosaur, and how the community and the rest of Canada are reacting to news of her removal.

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We are in the United States this week to see how one of the world’s most car-dependent nations can make its streets more pedestrian friendly.

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To celebrate the release of Monocle’s Quality of Life Survey 2025, we record a special edition of the programme in association with Brookfield from the rooftop of their smart new offices in Mayfair, London. 

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Naomi Xu Elegant investigates the largest office-to-residential conversion in American history, which was recently completed in New York.

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We look at adaptive reuse through two lenses: a blockbuster case in the UK capital and an attempt to get European cities to legislate for less demolition.

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Tomas Pinheiro explores how the millennia-old settlement of Shanghai has grown into China’s most populous urban area.

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We look at the effects that war and conflict can have on our cities, and how we go about rebuilding our urban areas better than before.

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Charlotte McDonald-Gibson explains the design secrets and quirks behind this neoclassical US Supreme Court Building in Washington.

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We’re calling another meeting of ‘The Urbanist’ bookclub to review two titles: ‘Designing the American Century’ and ‘Women Architects at Work’.

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Guy De Launey recounts how Kupari Resort went from jewel in the Adriatic crown to derelict disaster zone, as well as what is planned for its revival.

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Can swimmability be an indicator for good quality of life and a healthy city? We report from the inaugural Swimmable Cities Summit in Rotterdam to hear about those working to improve urban waterways.

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Henry Rees-Sheridan recalls what became of Zaha Hadid’s plans for the Cardiff Bay Opera House.

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From inclusive neighbourhoods and climate-resilient design to mobility and destination development, we explore how infrastructure is being redefined – not just as roads and bridges, but as a tool for better living.

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Petri Burtsoff takes us to a historic hotel in Estonia that has stayed true to its design roots for nearly a century.

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We look at urbanism from different lenses, from a neighbourhood built on independent brands to a view on how the architecture field can innovate. And: what is ‘The Design Perspective’?

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Geetanjali Krishna takes us to a 50-year-old cinema in Jaipur, which is managing to give modern multiplexes a run for their money.

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Monocle magazine’s editor, Josh Fehnert, is joined by editor in chief, Andrew Tuck, foreign editor, Alexis Self, and senior foreign correspondent, Carlota Rebelo, to discuss what makes a city truly liveable.

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