Urbanism
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Can Flame Tree Season create Dubai’s own cherry-blossom moment?
Every summer, Dubai comes alive in shades of red as the city’s flame trees come into bloom. This year, city leadership is looking to strengthen the tree’s presence in Dubai’s civic identity.
Berlin swimmers take the plunge amid efforts to reclaim bathing in the Spree
Campaign group Flussbad Berlin is going against the tide with its campaign to open the Spree to public bathing. Will it sink or swim?
The Monocle Quality of Life Survey’s top cities throughout the past decade
We revisit the cities that have topped The Monocle Quality of Life Survey over the past 10 years to show how thoughtful planning can transform urban life.
What to expect at Monocle’s 2026 Quality of Life conference
For three days, monocle.livees to life as readers, speakers, and editors gather to exchange ideas and explore how we might live a little better.
Electric bikes are handy but why must they be used as garbage bins on wheels?
When did city dwellers decide to turn the lime bike into a garish waste disposal unit?
How to age in a dignified way: know your neighbours
Co-housing developer Town hopes that building intergenerational communities will help people to live better. We spoke to founding director Jonny Anstead to learn about the company’s people-centric design and how it improves individual wellbeing.
Seattle’s Waterfront Park shows why replacing highways with public parks is urbanism at its best
Seattle’s ailing downtown has been renovated by reconnecting residents to a long-ignored waterfront, transforming what was once an elevated highway, damaged by an earthquake, into a park replete with seating, play areas and viewpoints.
To see the real Bangkok, head to Lumphini Park at 06.00
This century-old park is a microcosm of the Thai capital and ideal in the early hours – there are few better places to exercise, get breakfast or start your day
Why São Paulo should rethink its plan to give up its reputation as an ad-free metropolis
Two decades after the Lei Cidade Limpa, São Paulo faces a return of gaudy large-scale building ads.
Is the reinvention of downtown Cairo Egypt’s most controversial comeback?
The Egyptian capital is fast evolving as developers seek fresh opportunities on its storied streets. Here we investigate whether the restoration of its bustling heart can be done without sacrificing its essence.
