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
15/06/2026 | 7min
Tom Webb takes us to the Chinese city named after the fictional 1933 literary paradise of Shangri-La to sort fact from fiction.
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The pillars of architectural practice with a Scandinavian sensibility
11/06/2026 | 30min
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
08/06/2026 | 5min
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?
04/06/2026 | 30min
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.
With 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.