Tall Stories 413: Astana, Kazakhstan

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.