The Urbanist (Monocle)

Episode: The Best of ‘Tall Stories’ in 2025
Date: January 1, 2026
Host: Andrew Tuck

Episode Overview

This reflective episode of The Urbanist’s sister show, Tall Stories, brings together remarkable vignettes from around the globe, showcasing how urban landmarks—both grand and modest—shape identity, foster community, and hold profound meaning for city dwellers. From cat-filled parks in Lima, to groundbreaking creative spaces in Bethlehem, palatial cinemas in India, threatened dinosaurs in Canada, and the enduring affection for a humble Dubai tower, the stories examine the narratives and connections woven into the fabric of five very different cities.

Main Stories & Key Insights

1. Kennedy Park – The Cat Park of Lima, Peru

Reporter: Elna Schutz
Timestamps: 00:11–05:30

• Overview:

  • Kennedy Park, in Lima’s Miraflores district, is lauded as a unique urban space due to its large, cared-for feline population, overshadowing its deep historical, agricultural, and political roots.

• Details & Atmosphere:

  • While it honors US President JFK and Peru’s National Flag Day through adjoining parks, Kennedy Park’s identity is now inseparable from its dozens of resident cats who lounge, nap, and socialize with visitors.
  • Local organizations have maintained feline welfare for decades, complete with dedicated shelters and feeding times.

• Cultural Layers:

  • The park also features craft vendor areas, street food like picarones (sweet potato donuts) and chicha morada, and hosts local art in the Afro-Peruvian tradition.
  • The Chabucagranda amphitheater shifts functions—from memorial vigils to lively dancing—mirroring the city’s diverse vibrancy.

• Monuments/Heritage:

  • Statues of leaders and colorful folk art, like the blue-and-gold bulls (symbols of strength introduced during Spanish colonization), speak to Peru’s layered past.

• Memorable Moment:

  • "This spot played an important role in several Peruvian wars and now is still surrounded by some key buildings, like the main seat of the municipal government…" (C, 01:55)
  • "To this day, Kennedy park seems to have a joyous surprise… or at very least, you’ll find a cat." (C, 05:15)

2. The Wonder Cabinet – A Creative Anchor in Bethlehem, Palestine

Reporter: Liam Syed | Interviews: Larry Sperry, Director
Timestamps: 05:30–12:54

• Overview:

  • The Wonder Cabinet is a new, interdisciplinary arts center in Bethlehem, designed amid daily occupation and division, offering a haven for creativity, community, and collaboration.

• Design & Architecture:

  • Created by architects Ilyas and Youssef Anastas, the building fuses modern methods with traditional stonework, creating a strong dialogue between contemporary design and Palestinian heritage.
  • Unique features—like strategic apertures—offer literal and metaphorical windows onto the realities of occupation, forcing confrontation with the segregated landscape.

• Philosophy & Operation:

  • “All the artists that come and work here… are really invited and encouraged to engage with all the other things that are happening in the building…” (Larry Sperry, 08:42)
  • Its residency model spans visual, sound, and performance arts; a focus on heritage and utility for today’s local needs permeates activities.

• Social Integration:

  • Workshops (like steam bun classes with Chef Xing Yu Shi), concerts benefiting Gaza, and the influential Radio Ohara manifest a living, cross-disciplinary exchange.

• Resilience & Identity:

  • “I refer to it as a womb, because the womb is also a protective environment… a safe space that can grow so much life within it…" (Larry Sperry, 11:21)

• Agency & Global Perception:

  • The center seeks not just foreign attention but a shift in how Palestinian voices are heard:
    • "…focus on local production… to really understand what the voice is in Palestine… this is a place with its own identity, independent, with agency and with an incredible vitality." (Larry Sperry, 12:25)

3. Raj Mandir – Jaipur’s Regal Cinema Experience, India

Reporter: Gitanjali Krishna
Timestamps: 13:36–18:27

• Overview:

  • While India’s modern multiplexes struggle, the 50-year-old Raj Mandir cinema in Jaipur still commands queues with its immersive, palatial experience.

• Atmosphere:

  • The theater’s kitsch, extravagant interior—described as “a maharaja’s dream,” or “like a Rajasthani Disney World”—sets it apart, with opulent décor and massive capacity.

• Community Intersection:

  • Crowds encompass all ages and backgrounds; it’s a city-level event.

• Historic Appeal:

  • Launched in 1975 to skepticism, its air-conditioning, chandeliers, and gemstone-adorned walls leapfrogged the comfort and glamour standards of its time.

• Tradition & Tastes:

  • Raj Mandir fuses past with present:
    • “It has maintained its retro decor, but has also stayed ahead of the curve with the latest technology in sound and projection.” (E, 15:45)
  • Signature samosas rival popcorn for popularity.

• Memorable Moment:

  • “For less than €5, you can watch the latest movies and feel like a Bollywood maharaja for an hour or two. It’s quite a good deal, don’t you think?” (E, 18:25)

4. Tyra – Drumheller’s Dinosaur Landmark, Canada

Reporter: Sheena Rossiter
Timestamps: 18:27–23:57

• Overview:

  • In Drumheller, Alberta ("Dinosaur Capital of the World"), Tyra the Tyrannosaurus—a 25m high, larger-than-life fiberglass dinosaur—stands at the core of local identity and tourism.

• Origin Story & Local Significance:

  • Conceived in 2000, Tyra draws over 150,000 visitors a year, spawning an economic revival for the small town.

• Sudden Threat:

  • In 2029, Tyra is slated for removal due to expiring land leases and a shift in the Chamber of Commerce’s mission. The community’s reaction is swift and emotional.

• Community Response:

  • A public petition gathers 25,000+ signatures; locals liken the potential loss to “Paris removing the Eiffel Tower.” An engineering study is underway to assess if Tyra can be saved.

• Quote:

  • “She might not be on the bucket list for global tourists to visit, but her legend still lives large amongst locals.” (F, 23:45)

5. The Toyota Building – Dubai’s Accidental Icon, UAE

Reporter: Insamin Rashid
Timestamps: 23:57–29:59

• Overview:

  • The 15-storey “Toyota Building”—officially the Nasir Rashid Lootah building—is a modest early-1970s residential tower on Sheikh Zayed Road, but is beloved as an orientation point due to its decades-long rooftop Toyota sign.

• Urban Evolution & Identity:

  • Despite being outshone by modern towers, it remains a logistical and emotional landmark:
    • “Meeting a friend? ‘I’ll see you by the Toyota building.’ For decades, it was as much a wayfinder as the roundabouts themselves.” (G, 25:50)
  • Its affordable flats, everyday shops, and lived-in feel contrast with Dubai’s new culture of luxury.

• The Power of Symbols:

  • When the sign was removed in 2018, “the reaction was immediate, if understated. Not outrage, exactly, but a kind of sadness.”
  • Its 2022 restoration (now in both Arabic and English) was met with community celebration and nostalgia.

• Urban Memory:

  • “Urbanists like Yasser el Shestawi have argued that the Toyota building deserves protection not because it’s beautiful, but because it is memory made concrete in a city where so much is new.” (G, 27:30)

• Memorable Closing:

  • “Cities are built not just on steel and glass, but on the landmarks we quietly choose to love.” (G, 29:55)

Memorable Quotes

• On Place and Community:

  • “To this day, Kennedy park seems to have a joyous surprise… or at very least, you’ll find a cat.” (Elna Schutz, 05:15)
  • “We are located in Bethlehem in the West Bank, so we face occupation on a daily basis… so we try to also create some sort of mobility and exchange between areas that are designed to be disconnected from each other.” (Larry Sperry, 11:21)
  • “For less than €5, you can watch the latest movies and feel like a Bollywood maharaja for an hour or two.” (Gitanjali Krishna, 18:25)
  • “The Toyota building deserves protection not because it’s beautiful, but because it is memory made concrete in a city where so much is new.” (Insamin Rashid, 27:30)

• On Loss and Identity:

  • “The idea of losing Tyra shocked locals so much that one even went as far as comparing the potential loss of Tyra to the equivalent of Paris removing the Eiffel Tower from its skyline.” (Sheena Rossiter, 22:45)

Notable Timestamps & Segments

• 00:11–05:30 – Lima’s Cat Park (Kennedy Park)
• 05:30–12:54 – The Wonder Cabinet, Bethlehem
• 13:36–18:27 – Raj Mandir Cinema, Jaipur
• 18:27–23:57 – Tyra the Dinosaur, Drumheller, Canada
• 23:57–29:59 – The Toyota Building, Dubai

Language & Tone

The episode’s tone is warm, attentive, and lightly sentimental, dwelling on authenticity, memory, and the often-overlooked intricacies that anchor communities to urban spaces. From wry affection for humble landmarks to deeply engaged descriptions of troubled, transformative places, the stories consistently balance poetic detail with practical observation.

Summary

This “best of” Tall Stories compendium is a testament to the ongoing life and layered meanings embedded in city places—from historic parks overrun with cats, to resilient cultural anchors under occupation, cinemas that make every movie a royal event, whimsical roadside giants, and unglamorous towers that become beloved through decades of daily familiarity. For city-lovers, urbanists, and planners, it’s a reminder that even in the fastest-changing places, humanity’s connection to the built environment is emotional, enduring, and shaped by the stories we share and the symbols we cherish.