Monocle’s editor in chief, Tyler Brûlé, discusses the weekend’s top news with guests Rob Cox, Chandra Kurt and Eemeli Isoaho. Plus: a word from our editors and correspondents in London and Bangkok, and a check-in with Rainer Nowak, editor in chief of Austria’s ‘Die Presse’ newspaper.
After nearly 500 days of negotiations, Belgium finally has a national government. It consists of seven parties but excludes the two biggest – both Flemish nationalist parties. Is Belgium’s complex political system workable in the long term?
And can the country hold together? Andrew Mueller asks Régis Dandoy, Carl Devos and Barbara Moens.
Monocle’s Georgina Godwin heads to southwest London to visit The Urban Wine Company, that harvests its bounty from vines across the city.
The Urban Wine Company™ was born out of an idea a few years back. Neighbours Richard and Paul were relaxing underneath a vine enjoying a glass of wine that had been flown half-way across the world. Realising they were sat in an urban garden of Eden surrounded by grape vines, they asked the impossible…
“Would it be possible to make a wine made from London grapes?”
So, in September 2009 they set about harvesting grapes grown in gardens, allotments, behind supermarkets and even at the side of railways. They teamed up with winemaking experts to produce the very first batch of ‘Chateau Tooting’. Pleasantly surprised, if not a little amazed by its ‘Drinkability’ The Urban Wine Company™ was formed. Not only had a fantastic tasting wine been created using grapes grown in a city centre, something unique had also been born.
Monocle On Design: Looking for a crystal-clear take on Venice Glass Week? Monocle’s Ed Stocker checks in with WonderGlass, the brand that bonds traditional Italian craftsmanship with contemporary design.
WonderGlass bonds traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design, providing tailor-made solutions to the worlds of architecture, art and fashion – telling a story through our creations we aim to bring individuals into a delightful WonderLand. A surrealistic and dreamlike atmosphere which creates a seamless landscape of lighting, subtle colours and visual elements forming a world that captures people’s imagination.
Founded in 2013, Christian and Maurizio Mussati built their brand through bespoke glass lighting and installations handcrafted in Murano, working with renowned creative minds including Zaha Hadid, Jaime Hayon, India Mahdavi, John Pawson, Nao Tamura, Marcel Wanders, Dan Yeffet and Hideki Yoshimoto.
Now working with their team of WonderLab artisans in the Venetian region and collaborating with leading names in design and architecture such as Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec, nendo, RML (Ana Meier & Hervé Descottes) and WOHA architects – WonderGlass offers architects, artists, developers, hotel designers and museums the opportunity to incorporate artisanal creations into projects of any scale.
Monocle’s editor in chief, Tyler Brûlé, is joined by John Goodwin, the CEO of the Lego Foundation, from its home city of Billund in Denmark. We learn why the global crisis in education might be an opportunity to reimagine learning and to rediscover the value of play.
Georgina Godwin talks to DBC Pierre, who won the Booker prize with his debut novel ‘Vernon God Little’. He has gone on to write five more books, including his latest: dystopian satire ‘Meanwhile in Dopamine City’. It is a darkly funny, brilliantly clever and utterly terrifying vision of technology in our near future
DBC Pierre is an Australian writer who wrote the novel Vernon God Little. Pierre was born in South Australia in 1961, before moving to Mexico, where he was largely raised.
“Monocle 24 – The Urbanist” Fernando Augusto Pacheco takes the plunge into one of Zürich’s lakeside public baths.
Badis are essentially public “baths” or “swimming areas”, where you can come to swim in the lake or the river, and then cool off on the wooden docks or grass, grab something to eat or drink, socialize and pass the hours reading, sleeping, tanning or just enjoying the sun. Most badis in Zürich cost 8 Francs to enter, though some are free.
Violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter is one of the world’s pre-eminent classical soloists. For 40 years the German performer has collaborated with distinguished composers and musicians, winning numerous awards. She talks to Monocle’s Robert Bound about Beethoven, her Stradivarius and sending biscuits to John Williams.Anne-Sophie Mutter (born 29 June 1963) is a German violinist. She was supported early in her career by Herbert von Karajan, and has had several works composed especially for her, by Sebastian Currier, Henri Dutilleux, Sofia Gubaidulina, Witold Lutosławski, Norbert Moret, Krzysztof Penderecki, André Previn, Wolfgang Rihm, John Williams and others.
Monocle 24 – The Stack looks at first issues of European magazine titles on the newsstands: ‘Limbo’, ‘Légende’, ‘command+i’ and ‘The White Room’.
With bravery, optimism and often a wry smile, Australian entrepreneurs have forged a progressive and innovative tourism industry, that offers travelers unparalleled experiences from the ocean to the outback.
In this episode, meet some of the country’s best and brightest tourism minds, and learn how their vision and ambition have transformed what it means to holiday in Australia.
