Design
Eight architecture and design books you need on your coffee table
Spruce up coffee tables and top-up design knowledge with these five Monocle-recommended monographs.
Latest in Monocle Radio
Latest
The modernist dream: How a housing experiment in Vienna became a lasting community
Vienna’s 1930s Werkbund estate had lofty goals to create a ‘new culture of living’ but many homes failed to sell. Almost a century on, the residences are in-demand addresses that have a modern relevance.
Ikea’s innovative new Kompishäng furniture is designed for people who move house a lot
As the lifestyles of city dwellers evolve, so has their need for mobility – and the Swedish company has picked up on the the change with its new homeware collection.
In designer Gabriel Tan’s Porto townhouse, home and studio find common ground
The Singapore-born designer and founder of homeware label Origin Made has combined his workspace and family’s residence across his exquisitely functional townhouse conversion in Portugal.
Inside the quiet, palatial walls of Design Miami Paris
A recap of the standout pieces and galleries on show in Karl Lagerfeld’s former home.
The second edition of our ‘Design Directory’ is a reminder that there is more to the sector than meets the eye
The latest edition of our annual Design Directory is packed with smart reportage and fresh takes. Executive editor Nic Monisse introduces an issue about how design shapes communities and cultures.
Our ‘Design Directory’ 2026: The architects, studios and designers to know around the world
Stuck on a design problem or looking for the perfect creative partner? Discover top-tier studios and welcoming communities, from Copenhagen and Cairo to Tokyo and São Paulo, complete with contact details.
Civic architecture done right: Nine exciting new public spaces, from Brisbane to Geneva
Theatres, schools, arenas, a lighthouse and a city hall – here are some of the world’s newest buildings and landscapes that are reshaping how communities gather.
Inside six spaces around the world where good design means more than aesthetic charm
From an Hermès factory with 260 AI-proof jobs to a Wiltshire hotel that preserves tradition through a modern lens, here are interiors that show how design choices shape where we live, eat and work.
The best new homewares, books and accessories for design lovers
From Alessi’s screw-inspired moka pot to Fiio’s Moma-approved cassette player, these are the objects and publications bringing style back into homes.
How Le Corbusier and Walter Gropius built modernist Baghdad – and what remains today
In the mid-20th century, the Iraqi capital set out to become the Middle East’s modernist hub, drawing major names in architecture. What has become of their legacy today?
