The Urbanist
584 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 days ago - ★★★★★ - 292 ratingsWith an influential audience of city mayors, urban planners and architects, this is Monocle’s guide to making better cities, be it new technology, state-of-the-art subways or compact apartments. Nominee in the Smartest Podcast category of the 2019 British Podcast awards.
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Episodes
Tall Stories 357: Verkehrskanzel, Berlin
May 15, 2023 10:08 - 4 minutes - 4.18 MBPaige Reynolds visits a relic of Berlin’s infrastructure that speaks to our cities’ less automated histories. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Better community policing
May 11, 2023 17:54 - 30 minutes - 27.9 MBMonocle’s Chris Cermak reports from the Professionalizing Law Enforcement-Community Engagement Training Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, to explore how police can better interact with the communities they serve and gain their trust. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 356: Cermak Road, Chicago
May 08, 2023 11:42 - 10 minutes - 9.85 MBChris Cermak looks into the local Chicago history that is invoked by his relatively rare surname. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The fate of the department store
May 04, 2023 17:08 - 29 minutes - 27.4 MBIn this special roundtable discussion, The Urbanist debates what is best for our grand old department stores. Should they be revitalised, repurposed or removed? Henrietta Billings from SAVE Britain’s Heritage and Toby Pentecost of the property developer Candour join us to consider the options. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 355: The Barnes Dance
May 01, 2023 20:19 - 4 minutes - 4.07 MBDavid Stevens investigates a particularly well-choreographed way to cross the road. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Planning ahead
April 27, 2023 16:52 - 28 minutes - 26.2 MBWe explore the virtues of second cities as master-plan test-beds, speak to a Ukrainian mayor hoping to build back better after the war and look into how virtual reality can improve the way our buildings sound. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 354: Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, Valencia
April 24, 2023 16:19 - 6 minutes - 5.67 MBConor Faulkner visits the City of Arts and Sciences, Valencia’s best-known piece of modern architecture, to explain its bumpy creation story. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
City lessons from Salone del Mobile
April 20, 2023 17:13 - 30 minutes - 27.8 MBWe explore some of the promising plans and inspiring ideas for our cities that we have heard while floating around the exhibition halls of this year’s Salone del Mobile in Milan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 353: Çamlıca Tower, Istanbul
April 17, 2023 14:01 - 6 minutes - 6.17 MBHannah Lucinda Smith admires a beautiful piece of telecommunications infrastructure in the hills of Istanbul. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Urbanist Book Club
April 13, 2023 17:08 - 33 minutes - 30.5 MBWe convene another meeting of the Urbanist Book Club to highlight two titles that have caught our eye: ‘Carmageddon’ by Daniel Knowles and ‘Why Public Space Matters’ by Setha Low. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 352: The Georgian Military Highway
April 10, 2023 19:00 - 9 minutes - 8.71 MBJessica Bridger takes a trip down a historical trade route where the driving conditions are often as extreme and wild as the surrounding landscape. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The future of Milan
April 06, 2023 16:33 - 30 minutes - 28.1 MBMonocle’s Ed Stocker explores his adopted home of Milan to find out what the future holds for the city. From new metro infrastructure to a sweep of new buildings and neighbourhoods – big-name architects, planners and developers have plenty planned for the city. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 351: Can Vivot, Palma
April 03, 2023 16:48 - 5 minutes - 5.11 MBAndrew Tuck peers inside one of Palma’s many shuttered courtyards to reveal a breathtaking property ordinarily concealed from public view. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sweden's urban experiments
March 30, 2023 17:05 - 29 minutes - 27.2 MBWe’re shining a light on Sweden – a country that dares to take urban experimentation to the next level. We visit an exciting community project in Duved, explore the architectural variety of Linköping and hear why Helsingborg is a cycling mecca. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 350: Mother of Kartli, Tbilisi
March 27, 2023 16:39 - 6 minutes - 6.11 MBSally Howard visits the “Mother of Georgia” statue to see what this monument to femininity says about the role of women in the post-Soviet state. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Fresh perspectives
March 23, 2023 18:11 - 29 minutes - 27.3 MBWe gain novel views on the urban environment as we delve into the world of ‘meanwhile use’, stop by The Urban Room to see how Auckland is enjoying a fresh look at the city and try to redefine public perception of an infamous figure’s place of birth. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 349: Jamsu Bridge, Seoul
March 20, 2023 16:47 - 5 minutes - 5.09 MBJeyup S Kwaak brings us the story of Seoul’s ‘diving bridge’, which struggles to keep its head above water during its region’s rainy season. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mipim property fair
March 16, 2023 17:26 - 38 minutes - 35.1 MBWe report from Mipim, the world’s leading property fair, which is taking place in Cannes. We meet investors, developers, planners and local leaders to hear how they’re working to build more sustainably and create better cities and greener public areas. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 348: Hollyhock House, Los Angeles
March 13, 2023 17:25 - 6 minutes - 6.28 MBChristopher Lord visits one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s most impressive Californian creations – the first piece of modern US architecture to make it onto Unesco’s World Heritage List. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Good sports
March 09, 2023 22:45 - 32 minutes - 30.1 MBWhat roles do stadiums, parks and clubrooms play in our built environment? We look at the intersection between sports and city planning, delve into the US pickleball craze and explore Argentina’s sports clubs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 347: Park Strip, Anchorage
March 06, 2023 18:18 - 5 minutes - 5.04 MBGregory Scruggs talks us through the various ways that Park Strip has been used since the birth of Alaska’s largest city, Anchorage. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Wilding the city
March 02, 2023 18:36 - 29 minutes - 27.2 MBAs urban areas grow, how can we ensure that the link between nature and our cities isn’t severed? We visit Bangkok’s recently opened Benjakitti Park, discuss Ben Wilson’s new book ‘Urban Jungle: Wilding the City’ and go hiking in Philadelphia’s Wissahickon. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 346: Paharpur Business Centre, New Delhi
February 27, 2023 18:18 - 5 minutes - 5.24 MBGeetanjali Krishna visits the so-called “healthiest building in Delhi” to find out how greenery is helping to fight back against air pollution. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Books and banks
February 23, 2023 18:22 - 30 minutes - 27.9 MBHow can ordinary city buildings have an extraordinary effect on their communities? We explore libraries to banks to see what impact they’re having on their neighbourhoods and what connection they have with citizens. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 345: The Diefenbunker, Ottawa
February 20, 2023 18:52 - 6 minutes - 5.58 MBPaul Logothetis explores the story of Cold War Canada through an extensive network of tunnels and offices built beneath a farming community in Western Ottawa in the 1960s. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Communist Graz
February 16, 2023 18:42 - 26 minutes - 24 MBWhat is it like to live in a communist-run city? For residents of Austria’s second city of Graz, that question ceased being hypothetical in 2021 when Elke Kahr of the Communist Party of Austria was sworn in as mayor. In this special edition of The Urbanist, Monocle’s Alexei Korolyov ventures to Graz to see how its unique leadership is affecting citizens’ lives, and whether communist stigmas still loom large. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 344: Mercado do Bolhão, Porto
February 13, 2023 16:55 - 3 minutes - 3.57 MBIvan Carvalho visits Porto’s much-loved Mercado do Bolhão to uncover the legacy of an urban landmark that continues to bring residents together. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The High Lines
February 09, 2023 18:21 - 32 minutes - 29.9 MBSince opening to the public in 2009, New York’s High Line has inspired cities the world over. We explore the route of what’s set to be the Camden Highline, walk along Singapore’s Rail Corridor and return to the original. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 343: Punxsutawney Phil
February 06, 2023 18:31 - 9 minutes - 8.85 MBChris Cermak looks at the meteorological powers of a particular Pennsylvania groundhog and the annual celebrations that take place in the town of Punxsutawney to mark his famous forecast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Park life
February 02, 2023 18:08 - 32 minutes - 29.4 MBHow has the way in which we perceive our parks changed and how have planners adjusted to our current needs? We explore examples of well-considered green space and ponder what’s next for the park. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 342: Montreal’s Metro
January 30, 2023 22:47 - 4 minutes - 4.55 MBHester Underhill explores how the metro system beneath Canada’s second-largest city, and its collection of stunning mid-century designed stations, came to be. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
US Conference of Mayors
January 26, 2023 18:02 - 29 minutes - 27.2 MBChris Cermak, Monocle’s Washington correspondent, reports on the US Conference of Mayors. The meeting is an opportunity for local leaders to get together and share best practices – but also for the federal government to show that it values mayors and the power they have over the future of their cities. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 341: Legislative Yuan, Taiwan
January 23, 2023 17:50 - 4 minutes - 4.26 MBJames Chambers ponders the next steps for Taiwan’s parliament building – a centre for the island’s strong democracy famous for its verbal, and occasionally physical, bust-ups. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Urban trends at the World Economic Forum
January 19, 2023 18:23 - 34 minutes - 31.3 MBMonocle’s Carlota Rebelo reports on the urban trends that will shape our world in 2023 from this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos. We hear from Jeff Merritt, Iryna Ozymok, Tollulah Oni, Diane Binder and Carlo Ratti. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 340: Muscle Beach South Beach, Miami
January 16, 2023 17:27 - 3 minutes - 3.39 MBTomos Lewis investigates how the redesign of Miami’s very own version of Muscle Beach is working out for local residents. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Urban challenges for 2023
January 12, 2023 17:55 - 25 minutes - 23.3 MBWhat are the biggest issues facing our cities in the year ahead? We visit five urban centres around the world to find out what’s predicted for the coming 12 months and brainstorm solutions for city halls. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 339: Brixton Windmill, London
January 09, 2023 12:06 - 4 minutes - 4.55 MBLouis Allen takes us to a centuries-old building that still stands in London’s Brixton neighbourhood to this day and which is emblematic of the area’s agrarian past. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Best of ‘Tall Stories’ 2022
January 05, 2023 17:26 - 31 minutes - 28.9 MBMonocle’s editor in chief, Andrew Tuck, looks back at his favourite episodes of ‘Tall Stories’ from 2022. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 338: Palacio de Aguas Corrientes, Buenos Aires
January 02, 2023 19:30 - 5 minutes - 4.7 MBLucinda Elliott visits a palace in downtown Buenos Aires originally designed to provide safe drinking water for the city’s residents. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Best of 2022
December 29, 2022 13:22 - 33 minutes - 31.1 MBMonocle’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.
Christmas in the city
December 22, 2022 15:47 - 35 minutes - 32.6 MBWe visit Europe’s best Christmas market in Tallinn, discover a US town that has been dubbed “Christmas City” since the 1930s and get a letter from our resident grinch, Andrew Mueller. Plus: Andrew Tuck and Carlota Rebelo go head-to-head in our second annual quiz: festive edition. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2022: Urbanism in review
December 15, 2022 18:14 - 27 minutes - 25.2 MBWhat were the biggest wins in the world of urbanism over the past 12 months? With the help of our global correspondents, we get a view from around the world about some of this year’s successes in planning, architecture and civic leadership, and what they mean for their cities. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 337: The Puppet Theatre Barge
December 12, 2022 18:11 - 7 minutes - 6.91 MBEmily Sands takes us to a puppet theatre that is currently moored in London’s Little Venice. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Democratising public space
December 08, 2022 17:54 - 29 minutes - 27.1 MBCreating cities that are truly open requires the perspectives of the entire community. We speak to two promoters of the democratisation of urban design – Gail Shillingford of B+H Architects and Deborah Saunt of architecture, urban design and spatial research studio DSDHA – who explain how to build environments that are truly open for everyone. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 336: Golden Mile Complex, Singapore
December 05, 2022 18:09 - 4 minutes - 4.14 MBNaomi Xu Elegant explores one of Singapore’s most distinctive multi-use tower blocks and contemplates the building’s future. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
‘Meanwhile City’ and Monocle’s Small Cities Index
December 01, 2022 18:02 - 29 minutes - 27 MBWe discuss temporary urban interventions with Petra Marko, author of ‘Meanwhile City’, and visit one of the pop-up projects that it describes. We also look at Bozeman, Montana, to see how it found itself in Monocle’s Small Cities Index in the latest edition of ‘The Forecast’. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 335: The Hancock, Boston
November 28, 2022 17:39 - 6 minutes - 5.96 MBJessica Bridger tells us the story of a beloved and iconic feature of the Boston skyline. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The future of transit in California
November 24, 2022 22:30 - 28 minutes - 25.9 MBWhat’s ahead for the way in which we get around in cities? We stop at Comotion LA to explore some new ideas and take a trip to San Diego to see how we can bolster the existing bus network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tall Stories 334: Harpa concert hall, Reykjavík
November 21, 2022 17:35 - 8 minutes - 7.85 MBTamsin Howard visits a concert hall in the Icelandic capital that tells the tales of the surrounding culture and landscape. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Cop27: cities and climate
November 17, 2022 18:35 - 29 minutes - 27.4 MBWhile much focus has been on nations and their commitments to curb emissions, cities have long been at the forefront of green innovation and clean mobility. Monocle’s Carlota Rebelo reports from Cop27 in Egypt. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.