The power of showers

Sometime between writing last week’s column and settling down to tap out today’s I had a slight change of heart about the essential ingredients regarding quality of life. While cities get high marks if they have low crime rates, good public schools, smooth-running buses, trams and subways, and if they offer a healthy climate for starting up a small business, my daily holiday regime on the coast of Tuscany had me questioning whether there should be simpler measures to judge whether a city is delightfully liveable.

While my holiday wasn’t exactly urban (I was tucked away at the wonderful Locanda al Colle near Pietrasanta), it still had enough trappings of city life to get me thinking. One of the key reasons why London may never show up on the Monocle Quality of Life ranking comes down to the city’s generally poor water pressure. Having lived in more than 10 different homes there over the past 20-plus years, I don’t think I’ve ever had a satisfying shower. From basic showerheads that offer just one spray setting to the most elaborate plumbing fixtures from Dornbracht – which are supposed to make you feel like you’re in a Jakarta-style downpour – I don’t think I’ve ever stepped on to a bath mat in London wishing I could have stayed under the refreshing stream a bit longer.

After trying everything from special water pumps to daily limescale removal to help create more of a blast than a trickle, I’ve resigned myself to the fact that mornings in London will always have a low point because of the poor water pressure. I’ve come to accept the light drizzle as part of my daily regime and have almost forgotten that life is considerably better when you can stand under a concentrated torrent of warm water.

It was under a deluge from the massive showerhead at the hotel one morning last week that I started thinking about a simple checklist that every mayor should ensure is delivered everyday for every resident and visitor. My 10-point checklist went something like this:

1. Ensure that the people in the public works department are able to deliver not just drinkable water but also water that comes out of faucets, spouts and shower attachments with real force. This will deliver an enormous economic boost as people will hit the streets feeling refreshed and productive rather than cheated and grumpy.

2. Launch a department for good sleep. Bad beds, pillows and linens should be banned and retailers should only be allowed to sell wares that ensure people wake with a bright and cheery disposition.

3. Everyone should have direct access to a private patch of outdoor space. Too often I hear that new apartments in London don’t have balconies because they’re noisy. It should be a basic human right that everyone has a personal space to enjoy a bit of fresh air – and so what if a bit of laughter and chatter fills the evening air past midnight?

4. Don’t underestimate the value of a good cup of coffee. It’s how Italians able to put up with everything from dreadful television to an absurd prime minister.

5. Fresh orange juice. See above.

6. Familiar places to congregate are a must. The local bar, the neighbourhood fruit-stand and the friendly kiosk should be planned into every city, every few hundred metres, so residents and visitors alike have places that become part of a pleasant routine for refreshment and information. Moreover, these businesses should be independently owned and operated where possible.

7. Is this seat taken? As populations age there should be more public seating for people to rest weary limbs and enjoy a bit of sunshine.

8. Human scale rather than off the scale. Small and perfectly formed is preferable to wide-open and empty.

9. Street nightlife. Shops, restaurants and bars needn’t be open around the clock but one evening a week where key commercial streets stay open till midnight (no, not Oxford Street) create a sense of occasion.

10. Good windows make for good neighbours. Proper windows don’t just keep the heat in (or out), they also cut out unwanted noise – meaning street life can carry on while others get a good night’s sleep.

Which brings us to Monocle’s top 10 most liveable cities for 2011. While a few of them need to work on a couple of the elements listed above, all have implemented policies and embarked on projects that make daily life easier for taxpayers and tourists alike. From Zürich’s massive rail infrastructure to the launch of a new business university in Vienna, there’s much to be learned from urban centres that put an emphasis on quality while also allowing room for a bit of grit and serendipity. And the winners are: 10) Madrid; 9) Tokyo; 8) Berlin; 7) Sydney; 6) Vienna; 5) Melbourne; 4) Munich; 3) Copenhagen; 2) Zürich; 1) Helsinki.

Let the great debate on what makes a city truly liveable and lovable begin. And yes, we did measure Helsinki in the winter and it still got our vote.

Tyler Brûlé is editor-in-chief of Monocle magazine

tyler.brule@ft.com

More columns at www.ft.com/brule