Monocle editor Tyler Brûlé lists 10 ingredients for ideal village life

In a column for Monocle's July/August quality-of-life issue, editor-in-chief Tyler Brûlé enumerates ten essential elements for a thriving village community, drawn from a morning stroll near Lake Zürich. He emphasizes the need for a mix of shops and services, a thrice-weekly market, a kiosk selling quality print media, a seven-day-a-week flower shop, recognition from local merchants, a place to swim and relax, an attentive mayor who quickly removes graffiti, good pavements for all modes of transport, warm street lighting instead of cold LEDs, and a good bookshop for readings and gift-buying. Brûlé reflects on nearly two decades of developing metrics for pleasant living, noting that big cities often prioritize airport connectivity and security over these finer details. He invites readers to share their own ideas via email.