Tall Stories 512: The strange transformation of Nara Juvenile Prison

Tom Webb takes us to the Chinese city named after the fictional 1933 literary paradise of Shangri-La to sort fact from fiction. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tomas Stokke joins us from Haptic, an architectural firm bringing Scandinavian style to global projects. We also meet Dicle Guntas from Forefront, who aims to revive downtowns through art.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gendel Gento takes us to the last surviving example of Japan’s “Five Great Prisons” built during the Meiji era, which has recently undergone a transformation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Carlota Rebelo reports from the Urban Land Institute’s 2026 Europe Conference in Berlin, where we hear the most interesting voices in the real estate sector assess the challenges facing our cities.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sophie Monaghan-Coombs learns about Undercroft Skate Space, a venue that has been central to the London skateboarding scene over the past half century.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We learn how one strategist is exporting Swedish fika values to help put city planners on the same page. We also hear about Hungary’s push to revive its urban green commons and how Turku Cathedral locks its doors.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stefan Dubowski takes us to the beaches of Taiwan’s Wanli district to see a largely abandoned collection of futuristic abodes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We check back in with our friends at the Start With Children, and hear from the duo who hosted one of the organisation’s miniseries of lectures, Melissa and Chris Bruntlett. Plus: we hear from this year’s World Urban Forum in Baku.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Julia Kim rides the Hokusai Special Train – a new journey aimed at foreign tourists to take in breathtaking views of Mt Fuji.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We explore a new style of neighbourhood that could improve social connection and ease cost of living. We also assess Vietnam’s evolving tourism landscape and see how mayors are fighting back against authoritarianism.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.