Monocle 24: The Urbanist

The architectural and urban legacy of former Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov remains the subject of heated debate. While he condoned the destruction of historic buildings and streets, he also encouraged architectural experiments such as the city’s Egg House.

We hear from two mayors on the sidelines of the Democratic National Convention on how to better connect local authorities with state and federal government. Plus: we hitch a ride in Beirut’s taxi-sharing system and reflect on the fact that it’s been a year since the World Fair packed its bags and left Milan.

Built in the 1960s, Madrid’s eccentric Torres Blancas continues to rouse the imagination of the Spanish capital despite being closed off to a rather curious public.

In this special episode of ‘The Urbanist’ we look at the highs and lows of Rio’s urban makeover, how the city will be seen during the Games and more importantly what will remain after the Olympic movement leaves town.

Scratching the blue sky above Lisbon, the electrical wires of the iconic yellow trams show us how the city has evolved over the years.

How does a city change when the sun shines? Be it balmy evenings in the park, dinner by the river or the sand between your toes, there’s something about a rise in temperature that just makes everyone that bit happier.

Look down at your feet with determination and you will see some of the most powerful city branding: well-worn pavements.

We catch up with businesses “on the go”, from a travelling cinema in Vienna to the delicious food-truck craze in Paris. Plus: we hop on a houseboat in London that doubles as a record shop.

A short walk to school through Shibuya in Tokyo takes us past a coffee shop, a fishmonger and even prime minister Shinzo Abe’s street.

We report on some of the key issues that have been debated across conference rooms in the past few weeks: the impact that creative industries have in our cities at Music Cities Convention; the idea of a zero-carbon London at The Liveable City; and the challenges Prague is facing at Resite 2016.

We look at the transformation of Ponte City and discover how it is a symbol of Johannesburg's complex and troubled history.

This week we report from Resite, a two-day conference in Prague that aims to tackle one of the biggest challenges for modern cities: migration. We speak with experts, policy-makers and more to understand how cities are standing up to the test.

A genteel slice of Germania on the Bosphorus, Istanbul’s old Haydarpasa Station is the real junction in Turkey’s modern history.

We explore examples of integration in Europe, from a Viennese restaurant that hires only refugees to the Refugee Aid Miksaliste organisation in Belgrade. Plus: how a park in Copenhagen became a global symbol of multiculturalism.

It’s one of the most storied sporting arenas in Uruguay and one of the most fabled football stadiums in the world. We head to Montevideo to explore the 1930s art deco gem Estadio Centenario.