Monocle on Design

Highlights from Monocle’s Quality of Life Conference and Manuel Aires Mateus on intelligent architecture

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 th

Objects that change the world for the better with designer Sébastien El Idrissi

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 chan

What can designers learn from the principles of Japanese gardening?

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 omnystu

A cut above: Allday Goods founder Hugo Worsley on reinventing the kitchen knife 

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 hote

Narrative design and clubbing with Pirajean Lees 

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 architectur

Linda Boronkay on designing for the soul. Plus: late-night kebabs get a chic makeover

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

Interior architect Alex Holloway takes inspiration from cinema and online slang

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

What separates luxury interiors from the rest? 

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

Henry Wilson’s philosophy of designing imperfection and Rolf Fehlbaum on the importance of friendship    

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 om

From house to home: Fernanda Canales, Thuma’s Alec Banks and the importance of ritual with Sophie Lou Jacobsen 

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

What does ‘good taste’ mean in interior design? The view from Tara Bernerd and Dan Rosen

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 thi

How do you revive a club as historic as Paris’s Bus Palladium?

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 tak

Does Copenhagen’s 3 Days of Design now rival Milan Design Week?

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. P

Is imperfection becoming a trend? A view of the future from NYCxDesign 2026

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 e

Feeling over form and function: the design principles of Tola Ojuolape and Rodolfo Agrella

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

Redesigning London’s shared cultural spaces with Jayden Ali. Plus: Reykjavík’s DesignMarch 2026

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. P

Let’s get flexible: Mark Haydon and Kim Colin on adaptability in design

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 In

Exploring Mexico City’s thriving design landscape with Tatiana Bilbao 

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

Modern luxury: Simone Stephens and Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen on living well

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, Jona

Monocle Design Awards 2026 with Jean-Baptiste Anotin

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