Monocle on Design
135 episodes — Page 1 of 3
Sense of place
Art and design
The future of car design at the Paris Motor Show
How to party properly and shop well with Studio Boum and Kartell
What can architecture do for fashion? Nathan Rich on his new Met exhibition
The architecture of happiness with Omar Gandhi, Alvar Aalto and Louis Kahn
Chaos, risk and design with Louise Liljencrantz and Christopher Dessus
Design on display: Es Devlin of Homo Faber on how good curation brings objects to life
Highlights from Monocle’s Quality of Life Conference and Manuel Aires Mateus on intelligent architecture
Objects that change the world for the better with designer Sébastien El Idrissi
What can designers learn from the principles of Japanese gardening?
A cut above: Allday Goods founder Hugo Worsley on reinventing the kitchen knife
Narrative design and clubbing with Pirajean Lees
Linda Boronkay on designing for the soul. Plus: late-night kebabs get a chic makeover
Interior architect Alex Holloway takes inspiration from cinema and online slang
What separates luxury interiors from the rest?
Henry Wilson’s philosophy of designing imperfection and Rolf Fehlbaum on the importance of friendship
From house to home: Fernanda Canales, Thuma’s Alec Banks and the importance of ritual with Sophie Lou Jacobsen
What does ‘good taste’ mean in interior design? The view from Tara Bernerd and Dan Rosen
How do you revive a club as historic as Paris’s Bus Palladium?
Does Copenhagen’s 3 Days of Design now rival Milan Design Week?
Is imperfection becoming a trend? A view of the future from NYCxDesign 2026
Feeling over form and function: the design principles of Tola Ojuolape and Rodolfo Agrella
Redesigning London’s shared cultural spaces with Jayden Ali. Plus: Reykjavík’s DesignMarch 2026
Let’s get flexible: Mark Haydon and Kim Colin on adaptability in design
Exploring Mexico City’s thriving design landscape with Tatiana Bilbao
Modern luxury: Simone Stephens and Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen on living well
Monocle Design Awards 2026 with Jean-Baptiste Anotin
A sense of place with Dan Witten-Hannah and Sophie-Lou Jacobsen
Deyan Sudjic on the legacy of Andrea Branzi. Plus: Designing for AI with Sacha Leong
Touring Prototype Island with Design Singapore Council
A tour around the 64th edition of Salone del Mobile
Is collectable design on the rise at Salone del Mobile? A selection of highlights from Milan Design Week 2026
The rise and rise of Brazilian design with Jig. Plus: touring the Rietveld Schröder House in Utrecht.
Just deserts: Exploring AlUla’s pioneering design residencies with curator Emily Marant
What is ‘Hyakkō’? A deep dive into Japan’s thriving craft scene with curator Nagata Takahiro
At a Japan House exhibition in London, curator Nagata Takahiro details the practice and philosophy of craftspeople working across Japan today. Plus: Nic Monisse and Grace Charlton flick through the new issue of Monocle and discuss some of their favourite design pieces. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Simone Brewster on the narrative of objects. Plus: the Dominican Republic’s rising design scene
Nic Monisse joins Simone Brewster at the London Design Museum to discuss her latest exhibition. Then: Gregory Scruggs explores the Dominican Republic’s booming design scene. Plus: our take on this year’s Pritzker Architecture Prize. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Matter and Shape, part two: Architecture and Genius Loci, Larger Than Life, Through the Looking Glass
The final part of our series from design salon Matter and Shape with Dan Thawley and Nic Monisse. We blur the boundaries between inside and out with Jayden Ali and talk about scale and sculpture with Birkenstock 1774. Plus: Connecting jewellery, interiors and object design with Repossi and Sabine Marcelis.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Co-design and luxury hospitality: Sour’s Pinar Guvenc and GA’s Jessica Morrison on the creative process
Sour's Pinar Guvenc discusses how local community is helping shape better buildings. Then: GA’s Jessica Morrison on what luxury hospitality means in 2026? Plus: Nic and Grace dissect designers from a month of fashion weeks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Matter and Shape, part one: Investigating Editions, New Cultural Landscapes and Olfactory Oral
Across a two-part series, we recap design salon Matter and Shape. We hear from three brands editing new and archival works, talk cross-cultural pollination with Villa Hegra and consider how we can design with scent.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What can Korean craft teach us about our possessions? Hyo Jung Lee on her book ‘Jeong’
Korean craft has long been overlooked. We speak to author Hyo Jung Lee about her book exploring the full scope of the country’s design practice. Plus: Nic Monisse and Grace Charlton discuss the design landscapes of Cape Town and Marrakesh.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Do local materials make objects better? Emmie Massias on the rise of Vietnamese design
Design in Ho Chi Minh is on the up: we speak with one designer who is using the city’s signature restaurant stools as a canvas. Plus: Nic Monisse and Grace Charlton pick highlights of The Monocle 100 from the March issue. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Is it time to go back to human-centred design? TF Chan on Collect 2026
As London craft-and-design fair Collect gets under way, Nic Monisse chats with director TF Chan about the philosophy of “fewer, better things”. Plus: buttons and handles are coming back to our vehicles but will Nic and Grace Charlton give them the green light? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
New Materials: Range Rover
We speak to Phoebe Lindsay, Materiality Senior Manager for Range Rover. Hear how the storied automaker uses materials to shape emotions and tell stories. Plus, taking a holistic approach to design strategy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Honouring brand legacy with the Pantone Colour Institute and the Louis Kahn Foundation
How do you pick a unique brand colour and does it matter? Pantone Color Institute’s vice-president joins to discuss. Then: Tallinn architecture students pay homage to Louis Kahn. Plus: Nic and Grace on brand collaboration.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Defining Brand: Range Rover
We speak to Will Verity, Brand Design Chief for Range Rover, at Design Miami. Hear how sound, scent and space shape our experience of brand. Plus, drawing inspiration from the colour black and modernist architecture.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Japan’s future plazas with Met Team Architects and sculpture as jewellery with Giles Miller
As Japan’s train designs race into the future, their plazas return to nature. Ryuma Takahashi speaks to the architect behind new plans for Iida station. Then: Giles Miller on sculpture as jewellery, plus our view on new proposals for Washington Dulles airport.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Telling stories through design with Andu Masebo and creative studio Birch
How do designers tell stories with their work? London-based designer Andu Masebo discusses his social approach to “simple, efficient objects”. Then: James Allen of creative studio Birch explains how strategy-design in the luxury space requires well-researched taste. Plus: Nic and Grace on 25 years of the Serpentine Pavilion. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nichecraft and placemaking with Luca Nichetto and David Galullo
Italian designer Luca Nichetto on nichecraft and the limits of treating design as purely collectible. Then: The office’s future with Rapt Studio’s David Galullo. Plus: Nic and Grace on Saudi Arabia’s AlUla Arts Festival.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How does a city affect design? Miminat Shodeinde and Joris Laarman on process and place
We round-up Paris Dećo Off and Maison&Objet. Then: collectable design with London-based creative Miminat Shodeinde. Plus: Dutch designer Joris Laarman on drawing inspiration from nature.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.