Throughout history, kings and queens have commissioned buildings all around the world but just how much has their vision shaped the cities of today? We explore the new book, ‘Royalty and Architecture’, with its editor Clive Aslet. Plus: we visit a place that saw everything from coronations to royal funerals and check on the rebuilding efforts of Notre Dame five years on from a devastating fire. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Stevens visits a historic part of Paris that has been a celebrated example of a mixed-use space for centuries. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games can be a great catalyst for urban transformation. This week we report from the French capital as it plays host to the world to find out more about its green initiatives, housing policies and sustainable architecture. Plus: what sort of city will be left for Parisians once the Games leave town? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paul Logothetis takes us to the Montreal Olympic Stadium to explore the mixed impression that it has left on residents of the city. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with the landscape architect behind Brooklyn Bridge Park, one of New York’s most exciting public spaces. Plus: we see what makes a location liveable, from youth through to adulthood, by way of a recent survey on lifelong neighbourhoods in London. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Emma Nelson takes us to one of the most intriguing monuments in the French capital, which puts into frame the beauty of Parisian architecture. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

‘The Urbanist’ hosts three expert speakers at Saint-Gobain’s Paris headquarters – Pascal Eveillard, Petra Marko and Kelsea Crawford – to discuss the future of our built environment and how innovation can help us live more sustainably. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mandy Sinclair takes us to a nocturnal preserve not far from the city centre of Kelowna, British Columbia, to find out why protecting the dark sky is so important. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We assemble ‘The Urbanist’ book club for another meeting as we browse books from the worlds of cycling, shopkeeping and the 15-minute city. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Camille Rodríguez Montilla tells the story of a grand development in Caracas that is emblematic of Venezuela’s decades-long tale of boom and bust. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We look at some research and developments that underline the need to support creative and cultural communities in urban areas. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tomás Pinheiro looks at Rio de Janeiro’s iconic numbered lifeguard stations and meets the communities surrounding them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We assess the future of the Turkish city of Antakya and delve into the proposed master plan that aims to rebuild the city following the catastrophic earthquakes that struck in February 2023.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

George Ruskin takes us to a postmodern, circus-tent-like event space that has been entertaining Berliners for decades. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can floating cities be the solution to rising sea levels? Can architecture prepare in advance for coastal changes? We explore a few ways that our cities are, or should be, interacting with water.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Florian Siebeck visits a late-brutalist building that looms over the Frankfurt skyline to assess what’s next for this cultural monument. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we visit one of the jewels in west London’s cultural crown: Olympia. Then: we head to Dublin for a look at the latest in transport technology and we browse two projects in the US that are bringing biophilic design to residents and businesses alike. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Carla Hyenne explores Astana, the recently minted capital of Kazakhstan, to see how the move has affected the city and the country as a whole. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the world continues to change at a rapid pace, what is the real-estate industry doing to address the challenges posed to cities by climate change, market fluctuations and geopolitical risks? This week we’re in Milan to discover how big players in the real-estate and architecture world are adapting to the demands for a more sustainable tomorrow. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guy de Launey looks at what the future holds for the largely dilapidated remains of the former Yugoslav Ministry of Defence building in Serbia’s capital. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How can we build better cities for future generations? This week we bring you a report from Bratislava, which recently played host to a two-day event bringing together mayors, policymakers, architects and business leaders to discuss how to create safer and greener cities, with children’s health in mind. A place that is designed with children at its core often ends up being more inclusive for all residents. So where do we begin? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mandy Sinclair gets a read of the ancient Saudi Arabian city of AlUla by visiting its public library.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How can urban predictability help us design, plan and build better cities? We examine the real-world lessons that can be taken from digital environments, visit an urban environment simulator and explore how predictive artificial intelligence can be a beneficial tool for municipalities.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paul Logothetis visits one of New York’s oldest working hotels, which spawned the famous Algonquin Round Table, a who’s who of US literary elites. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the final part of our series looking at conflict and the city, we discuss how design and soft power can influence peace negotiations and better bring about constructive conversation between opposing parties. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.