Monocle Magazine (July/August 2023 issue) – Monocle’s annual Quality of Life Survey puts the world’s best cities through their paces and profiles the urban centres on the up.

We also get set for summer by gardening in Hiroshima, dining in Marseille and dancing in Mexico City. Plus: how Bratislava’s bass-playing, architect mayor is helping the city to find its groove.

• QUALITY TIME – With the sun shining and our cities in bloom, it’s once again time to take stock of urban initiatives the world over as we reveal this year’s liveability index and meet the municipal patrons helping to give their towns a boost. Find out where your city ranks.
• THE OPENER – Tyler Brûlé ponders the absence of North American cities in this year’s Quality of Life Survey.
• MAN FOR ALL SEASONS – For renowned Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf, the most effective urban greening projects grow out of long-term thinking.
• CILLIT BANGSY – Clean and Art is helping to keep Tokyo’s streets free from graffiti. Monocle joins the team restoring order to the urban landscape.
• IN THEIR ELEMENT – The dramatic open-plan offices of this scientific-research group make for staff with unrivalled chemistry.