What is it like to live in a communist-run city? For residents of Austria’s second city of Graz, that question ceased being hypothetical in 2021 when Elke Kahr of the Communist Party of Austria was sworn in as mayor. In this special edition of The Urbanist, 
Monocle’s Alexei Korolyov ventures to Graz to see how its unique leadership is affecting citizens’ lives, and whether communist stigmas still loom large.

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Communist Graz

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. 

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Sarah Grice recalls a fishy tale about the longest river in the British Isles, the Shannon in Ireland. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tall Stories 405: River Shannon

As global urban development continues at pace, the need to use sustainable materials and building techniques in our cities increases. How is innovation helping the construction industry to reduce its impact on the environment? We explore some of the ideas that are hoped to make a difference. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sustainable building materials and circular construction

Ivan Carvalho visits San Siro Stadium to see what is next for this storied piece of sporting infrastructure in Milan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tall Stories 404: San Siro, Milan

We explore the newly transformed spaces in the historic Heal’s department store in London, investigate the new building frontiers required to tackle the Netherlands’ housing needs and find out what makes an effective innovation hub. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transforming Heal’s, Dutch high-rise housing and innovation hubs

Elna Schutz takes us to a Johannesburg institution that is almost as old as the city itself to see how the space has retained its classic charm while remaining relevant. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Communist Graz

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