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City Living Special

In our celebration of city life, we follow in the footsteps of Ian Nairn on a tour of London’s Modernist masterpieces; get an FT reporter’s take on the real profits of an urban allotment; meet the homebuyers who chose the authentic Parisian vibes of Le Marais; look past Oxford’s dreaming spires to its eastern areas; and ask, can a city ever really die?

© Max Miechowski

Why small homes are the next big thing
As urban housing becomes ever more expensive and scarce, compact, flexible spaces are increasingly seen as a solution
On the trail of London’s Modernist masterpieces
Sixty years after the publication of Ian Nairn’s guide to the capital’s best contemporary buildings, Travis Elborough does a walking tour of those still standing
Can a city really ‘die’?
Amid reports of San Francisco’s demise, the cable cars keep running and the tech industry keeps the money flowing
How my allotment makes me a profit
The economics of the allotment make little sense in pounds and pence but in terms of health and wellbeing there are many returns
Le Marais homebuyers seek the real Paris
The area’s mix of history and modern street life give it an authentic feel
Homebuyers look beyond the ‘dreaming spires’ to Oxford’s east
With lower prices than in the centre, neighbourhoods such as Cowley and Iffley draw young families and professionals

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