Tall Stories 402: Suomenlinna, Helsinki

Geetanjali Krishna touches down in Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport to experience the wonders of its verdant, new 255,000 sq m terminal.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We look at democracy in urban areas and examine city planning and the impact of voter choice. How can decision making in cities become more open and inclusive? Plus: we go back to the beginning to discover how candidates secure a spot on the ballot paper.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sarah Grice recalls a fishy tale about the longest river in the British Isles, the Shannon in Ireland.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As global urban development continues at pace, the need to use sustainable materials and building techniques in our cities increases. How is innovation helping the construction industry to reduce its impact on the environment? We explore some of the ideas that are hoped to make a difference.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ivan Carvalho visits San Siro Stadium to see what is next for this storied piece of sporting infrastructure in Milan.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We explore the newly transformed spaces in the historic Heal’s department store in London, investigate the new building frontiers required to tackle the Netherlands’ housing needs and find out what makes an effective innovation hub.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elna Schutz takes us to a Johannesburg institution that is almost as old as the city itself to see how the space has retained its classic charm while remaining relevant.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A few on-stage highlights from Monocle’s The Chiefs conference in Hong Kong, from Kevin Mark Low on architectural benchmarks and Noni Purnomo on tackling traffic to Yuta Oka on small-scale hospitality that revitalises communities.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Petri Burtsoff takes us to a historic military fortress off the coast of Helsinki to see how Finns make use of the island today.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Green thumbs can help to transform communities. We speak to an activist and horticulturist about how gardening has had a positive effect on his neighbourhood – and helped it to heal after tragedy. Then: we find out how two wintery countries encourage their citizens to take to two wheels, as well as what similarities they share. Plus: a look at a proposed tax designed to ensure that housing stock in Austria is utilised to its fullest.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.