As we gear up to host our fifth annual Quality of Life Conference in Madrid, we look at the Spanish capital’s urban plans, promises and problems. Our man in the city, Liam Aldous, brings us this week’s special episode.

Spotlight: Madrid

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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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.

Tall Stories 403: Rand Club, Johannesburg

A few on-stage highlights from Monocle’s The Chiefs conference in Hong Kong, from Kevin Mark Low on architectural benchmarks and Noni Purnomo on tackling traffic to Yuta Oka on small-scale hospitality that revitalises communities. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spotlight: Madrid

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