Monocle 24: The Urbanist

The lobbyists: not the bad or ugly, but the good. How are those lobbying City Hall, whether through closed-door meetings or open public festivals, getting their messages heard – and changing the metropolis for the better?

"Third place": the not-so-new concept of a space between work and home that's dominating the business plans of everyone from hoteliers to park directors. We visit London, Hong Kong, Washington DC and Sydney – and meet the man who coined the term.

The guided city: tourist or resident, what role do guides have in opening up a city? Off the beaten path or firmly on it, how do we challenge our understanding of cities through new ways of seeing, touching, smelling or tasting them?

The perfect city block: from the types of tree and best places to sit, to the scale of an apartment block and the width of the pavement – what is it that makes the perfect city block? And, who lives there?

Oh, behave: How do cities affect how we interact? We head to Rio de Janeiro, New York, Lisbon and London to listen, watch and walk our way through urban behaviour.

Religion: star, cross and crescent – we ask what impact religion has on our cities, whether it’s the singing sermon tourist track or church condo conversions.

DIY: From the one big project that transforms your life to the 100 little things you should do in a day, how do you build your own city? We’ll meet the man who set up his own neighbourhood transit authority and the Berliners building their own perfect apartment block – and why is bike repair in London much more satisfying when you’ve done it yourself?

The kids are all right: the big bad city isn't always made for those who are 2ft tall so we look at how children live in the megacity and why urban design is becoming a new hobby for cities' youngest residents.

Bloomberg’s New York: In the second of a two-part documentary on Michael Bloomberg’s 12 years at New York City Hall, we look at the former mayor’s management style, why he loves a cubicle and how he built such a loyal team.

Bloomberg's New York: the first of a two-part documentary on Michael Bloomberg's 12 years at City Hall. We look at what New York built – from changing the skyline to opening the High Line – and why some street vendors' jobs are on the line.

The best bits: highlights of ‘The Urbanist’ from 2013.

Christmas: from festive markets new and old to what to do with all those discarded trees – what does the festive season mean for a city?

New horizons: Adelaide's lord mayor, ‘Celluloid Skyline’ author James Sanders and the slow cities guidebook. Plus: Columbia's Studio X lands in Istanbul.

Migration: from a City Hall breaking down language barriers in new communities to a capital at the wrong end of a brain drain.

By the rules: we look at the regulations that guide our cities – from recycling in Bern to drinking outdoors in Istanbul – which one make sense, and which ones don’t?