Monocle on Design

Our annual ‘Design Directory’ is on newsstands now. Nic Monisse and Grace Charlton discuss their highlights and why a good design story is always about the bigger picture. Plus: Clara Krzentowski on design fair Pad London.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What impact can a sense of place have on what we make – and how we live? Join us for a discussion examining how a sense of place can combine with cultural DNA to create everything from distinct neighbourhoods to rugged four-wheel drives.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Live from Frieze London: We’re joined by JLR’s Nick Rolls and Collect’s fair director, TF Chan, to ask where art ends and design begins – and whether that line still matters. We discuss working between the two disciplines, collecting and making, as well as the rising market for functional objects.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We tour this year’s Paris Motor Show with Chris Cermak and Chloé Nakao-Pélata. Renault Clio and Alfa Romeo’s chief designers detail the road ahead for mobility. Plus: Why EV design might finally be turning a corner.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Grace Charlton speaks with the founders of Studio Boum about design and fashion. Then: Lorenza Luti of pioneering Italian furniture brand Kartell explains why physical retail still reigns supreme. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We head to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to speak with architect Nathan Rich. Then: the architecture of runways at Paris Fashion Week. Plus: how decades of war shape design thinking in Beirut.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Omar Gandhi tells Nic Monisse how a lifelong love of baseball informs the feeling that he strives to create with his practice. Then: Alvar Aalto and Louis Kahn’s design philosophy. Plus: Highlights from Monocle’s new issue.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In light of Paris Design Week, we explore experimental architecture and industrial furniture. Plus: Grace Charlton joins Nic Monisse to reveal some big news.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The artistic director of Homo Faber, Es Devlin, discusses her goal of making objects talk to each other. Plus:in light of design events in Paris, London, Venice and Zürich, we discuss what you should look out for and why.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At Monocle’s Quality of Life Conference in Lisbon, we catch up with one of Portugal’s foremost architects, Manuel Aires Mateus. Plus: highlights from the conference at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is the term “industrial design” frowned upon by design purists? Zürich-based Sébastien El Idrissi thinks so. He joins Nic Monisse to discuss why his goal is positive change at an industrial scale. Plus: what to look forward to at our Quality of Life Conference in Lisbon this year.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Niwaki founder Jake Hobson on why Japanese garden shears demonstrate the key to good design. Plus: Ferrari shocks critics. And: the joy of luxury stationery.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chef-turned-CEO Hugo Worsley tells us why design-lovers are obsessed with Allday Goods’ knives. Plus: Australia’s new census puts design on the map and why your next hotel stay should be the Chesa Grischuna in Klosters.   

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Clémence Pirajean and James Lees tell us about how narratives are essential to designing luxury interiors well. Plus: cooling off with design-thinking and the architecture of clubs.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hungarian designer Linda Boronkay on crafting hospitality interiors that ‘nourish the soul’. Then: Nic Monisse and Grace Charlton on luxury kebabs, animism and the object in their house that they would save first. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alex Holloway, of interior architecture studio Holloway Li, on drawing inspiration from cinema aesthetics and online slang. Plus: a review of Sicilian architecture and travel etiquette.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dorothée Boissier explains Gilles and Boissier’s approach to interior design. Then: Nic Monisse and Grace Charlton give their take on “digital minimalism” and whether or not designers can help us to stay on task. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australian designer Henry Wilson on why perfection is not something he strives for. Then: Rolf Fehlbaum of Vitra on why fun and friendship make for better work.  

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mexican architect Fernanda Canales invites us into her modern home. Then: French-American designer Sophie Lou Jacobsen and Thuma’s head of brand, Alec Banks, discuss how ritual and memory shape our relationship with home.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UK interior designer Tara Bernerd on how travel has influenced her taste. Then: Design comedian Dan Rosen on why judging others’ interior-design choices can be a good thing. Plus: Paris Fashion Week Men’s and Design Parade. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We hear how Studio KO turned one of Paris’s most famous nightclubs into a hotel. Then: making design more sensual with Astraeus Clarke. Plus: Nic and Grace give their takes on The Barack Obama Presidential Center. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We discuss why Denmark’s biggest design event drew record numbers this year, as well as our highlights of the week. Then: how to innovate materially with Jessie French. Plus: combining emotion and logic with Space Copenhagen.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A NYCxDesign special featuring designers from the US and Canada. Nic Monisse speaks with Simone Ferkul about human imperfection; Ryan Twardzik about his regional design ethos; and Jared Rusten about how to make chairs rock. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

London-based interior designer Tola Ojuolape discusses the sense of belonging that she strives to achieve with each new project. Then: Venezuela’s Rodolfo Agrella on the importance of “energy”. Plus: café interiors from the new issue of Monocle. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Forward-thinking British architect Jayden Ali joins to detail his new galleries at V&A East in London. Then: unpicking Icelandic design stereotypes at DesignMarch 2026. Plus: highlights at this year’s NYCxDesign. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How can flexibility improve quality of life? We answer this with Fisher & Paykel and the brand’s head of industrial design, Mark Haydon. Plus: Kim Colin, co-founder of Industrial Facility, on working with technology.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nic Monisse is in Mexico to learn how design is shaping the country’s capital. Grace Charlton also joins from Paris to explore the history and future of the city’s design-thinking. Plus: Mexican architect Tatiana Bilbao.  

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our series with Fisher & Paykel continues as we speak to Simone Stephens, head of global D&A partnerships and principal designer at Fisher & Paykel Appliances. Plus, Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen of Norm Architects on human wellbeing.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We discuss this year’s Monocle Design Awards winners and speak with one recipient, Jean-Baptiste Anotin, about the design thinking behind the sleek PP-1 turntable. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How is place represented in industrial design? In the first of a series produced with Fisher & Paykel, we speak to CEO Dan Witten-Hannah about identity. Plus: Sophie Lou Jacobsen on her new Milan-inspired collection.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We explore Italian radical design at Salone del Mobile with author, and former director of the Design Museum, Deyan Sudjic. Plus: How to design for Artificial Life with Sacha Leong of Nice Projects.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some of the most exciting work on display at Milan Design Week could be found at Prototype Island, which showcased 15 Singapore-based creatives. Nic Monisse and Hassan Anderson visited the exhibition in the Brera Design District to explore why Singapore’s designers continue to innovate in new and surprising ways.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nic Monisse, Ed Stocker and Grace Charlton have been busy at Milan Design Week. We cover what they saw and chat to Cristián Mohaded, Yabu Pushelberg, Patricia Urquiola, Annabelle Schneider and Anne-Rachel Schiffmann.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We talk with designer Franck Genser about his work for Louis Vuitton. Then: Mario Milana and Gabriella Campagna of Casa Milana on their apartment-turned-showroom. Plus: Highlights from Nic Monisse and Grace Charlton. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fernando Augusto Pacheco visits Jig, a new furniture shop in London’s Soho that champions contemporary Brazilian design. Then: Exploring De Stijl at the Rietveld Schröder House and we look forward to Salone del Mobile 2026. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Emily Marant discusses how residencies, cultural infrastructure and site-specific creation are redefining AlUla. Plus: Nic Monisse and Grace Charlton on the new flat-pack Eames house and Salone del Mobile 2026. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The best of Dubai Design Week. Nic Monisse talks with ARDH Collective co-founders Alyina Ahmed and Max Tettamanzi on turning waste into building materials. Then: Exploring courtyards with Some Kind of Practice’s Omar Darwish.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Grace Charlton explores how good design can assist new year workouts with Alberto Lambert, CEO and founder of Altere Studios. Plus: making the practical beautiful with American architect Tom Kundig. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nic Monisse and Grace Charlton share thier favourite moments from across 2025 on Monocle on Design and pick out what they're looking forward to in the year ahead.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nic Monisse and Grace Charlton on where to get your last-minute design Christmas goodies. Plus: Grace talks to the Tekla team about their new London shop. Then: We explore Balkrishna Doshi's work at the Vitra Design Museum.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with British designer Sheridan Coakley of SCP about his journey into furniture-making and his philosophy about what makes design last. Then: Matilda Goad of MG&Co on elevating DIY. Plus: Nic Monisse and Grace Charlton give us the Monocle view of the Pantone colour of the year. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nic Monisse and Grace Charlton report from Miami. Plus: Grace discusses the rise of collectible design with Design Miami’s CEO, Jen Roberts. Then: Nic explores the work of George Nakashima with Moderne Gallery. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are the key ingredients to a well-designed bedroom? Nic Monisse and Grace Charlton discuss their must-haves. Then: modern bedroom-furniture maker Thuma on moving into the living room space. Plus: clothing and homeware brand Rise & Fall on why good ideas begin between the sheets. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

British-Nigerian designer Yinka Ilori discusses childhood joy and co-design with Nic Monisse. Then: Snøhetta’s Kjetil Thorsen talks about creating heritage architecture. Plus: gift recommendations for design enthusiasts. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We discuss usage with Lagos-based designer Nifemi Marcus Bello and explore a new book on Wes Anderson’s approach to colour. Plus: Nic Monisse and Grace Charlton consider how good design can help us enjoy our A to B. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To celebrate the release of ‘The Monocle Book of Designers on Sofas’, editors Nic Monisse and Grace Charlton discuss their highlights from the book, featuring interviews with designer Ilse Crawford and architect Eran Chen.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Benoît Mintiens, founder of luxury watchmakers Ressence, explains the out-of-the-box thinking that goes into reimagining the mechanics of timekeeping for the modern day. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nic Monisse discusses the social benefits of good art and design with Frieze Connect’s Charlene Prempeh. Then: New Delhi-based craft entrepreneur Vikram Goyal tells us about the search for a “modern Indian design language”.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cypriot born London-based design pioneer Michael Anastassiades discusses the importance of noticing smaller details. Plus: furniture maker Seitz unpacks the concept of “slow living” in Switzerland.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Photographer Max Creasy discusses the relationship between architecture and pictures, and his new exhibition at the Architectural Association in London.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak to Andy Wheel, Director of Production Design at JLR at Range Rover House Daylesford. Hear how a strong brand identity and an innovative approach to design continue to drive the brand forward.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We reflect on what can be gleaned from years of design discussion and studio visits, featuring highlights from Do Ho Suh, Faye Toogood and Bisila Noha. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We visit Austria’s St Wolfgang station. In addition to being the starting point for the vertiginous Schafberg cog railway, it has also received accolades from the highest levels of the architectural community. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We celebrate Finnish brand Artek at 90 and athlete-turned-spatial designer Michael Bennett shares how creativity can be found everywhere. Plus: Dennis Cheung, a Hong Kong-based designer, on how he is taking cues from bamboo.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We venture to South London’s Dulwich Picture Gallery to marvel at the new pavilion and more recent developments at the UK’s first purpose-built public art museum.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We visit the ninth edition of the British Ceramics Biennial and preview the October issue of Monocle. Plus: A stopover at Vienna Design week.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a conversation recorded at Monocle’s most recent Quality of Life Conference, Turkish architect Emre Arolat discusses the design of the Sancaklar Mosque on the outskirts of Istanbul. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our highlights from London Design Festival, including everything from material innovation to new furniture and design circularity with journalist Katie Treggiden. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We visit the second edition of the design conference in the Hungarian capital. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Helsinki Design Week turns 20 this year and we explore this year’s Open House Festival in London. Plus: An interview with the founder of furniture organisation H100 at Zurich Design Weeks.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The designer discusses his work at the National Theatre’s production of ‘Inter Alia’ in London – and how to strike the balance between performer and technology onstage, including with previous collaborators David Bowie and U2. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A recap of the design-minded discussions at this year’s conference, including Bofill Taller de Arquitectura and a lighting masterclass from Santa & Cole and Marset. Plus: the importance of craft and context for any project.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

California-based designer Hyu Lim discusses his brand, Maju, the lamp series inspired by both his Singaporean heritage and the design systems that he encountered while working in the tech industry.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Design Council’s CEO, Minnie Moll, previews the World Design Congress at London’s Barbican Centre. Plus: Abe Rogers discusses his curation of the ‘Richard Rogers: Talking Buildings’ exhibition at Sir John Soane’s Museum. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Multidisciplinary maker Dharma Taylor reflects on the similarities between producing fashion and designing textile and furniture works. We also discuss her contribution to the ‘Dwellings, Rehomed’ exhibition at London’s Design Museum. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Indonesian textile and fashion powerhouse Obin discusses bringing batik to contemporary audiences. Plus: Sam Hecht of Industrial Facility discusses haptic feedback and the last instalment of our summer series.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We visit the architectural summer school run by the studio Hello Wood. Helena Kardová reports from this year’s one-of-a-kind adventure, which took place in a former textile factory in the town of Česká Kamenice, Czechia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We hear from Alexander von Vegesack, founder of Domaine de Boisbuchet – an international research centre for design and architecture in southwest France that hosts workshops for students and professionals.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vincenzo Latronico’s new novel ‘Perfection’ is a launchpad for Monocle’s associate editor, Grace Charlton, to explore ideas of materialism. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Artist, illustrator and writer Rob Lowe, also known as Supermundane, joins us in the studio for another instalment of our summer series. Plus: the team discusses the link between architecture and landscape.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The printmaker and poster designer is celebrated at the Poster House in New York in an exhibition that charts the pioneering work of the creative.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A review of the ‘Pictograms’ exhibition at Japan House in London. Then: we remember the late, great Robert Wilson. And: we kick off our summer series highlighting design essentials for the season. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We head to Portugal to meet João Xará, one of the co-founders of this design collective, to discuss why the group formed and the power of experimentation. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Design Museum in London explores how we might design beyond human needs in its latest exhibition. Then we visit the showroom of Portuguese furniture brand Branca and sit down with interdisciplinary designer Bolaji Teniola. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monocle’s associate editor of design and fashion, Grace Charlton, muses on the importance of enjoying good design rather than the performance of merely owning it. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re in Japan to visit furniture manufacturer Karimoku. Then we consider the use of concrete in Austrian architecture and the team behind ‘Slop Magazine’ discuss graphic design and client relationships. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Lagos-based artist’s exhibition, ‘You will wonder if we would have been friends’, is on at The Noguchi Museum in New York. Ogunbiyi’s artworks playfully blur the line between functional design and art. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lulu Harrison, winner of The Ralph Saltzman Prize 2025, discusses her ‘Thames Glass’ project. We also head to Lisbon’s Made in Situ gallery to see its ‘Xisto’ collection. Plus: Romanian designer Bogdan Ciocodeica. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The celebrated architect discusses the future of mobility and his project, ‘Gateway to Venice’s Waterways’, at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Didiet Maulana, founder of Ikat Indonesia, discusses bringing historical textile techniques to a contemporary audience. Plus: Nordic design news and we hear from the founder of collectible design brand Hamrei.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Writer Christopher Beanland considers the cultural and architectural impact of cars in shaping our built environment. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We visit the studio of wood artist Darren Appiagyei, find out why Portland, Oregon, has become a mass-timber hub and design organisation Material Cultures shares why timber isn’t the only vital woodland resource.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

First held in 1975, the event has grown into one of the world’s most respected poster-design competitions, drawing submissions from top talent across the globe. Petri Burtsoff reports.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We hear from a global cohort of creatives at Copenhagen’s de facto design week, 3 Days of Design.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.