15-minute cities

Author(s)

Carlos Moreno

Summary

The "15-minute city" is an urban planning model designed to ensure that all essential daily needs—such as work, shopping, education, healthcare, and leisure—are accessible within a 15-minute walk or bike ride from any residence. The concept aims to create compact, people-centered neighborhoods that reduce reliance on cars, promote sustainable living, and foster a strong sense of community. This model emphasizes mixed-use development, walkable streets, and proximity to services, thus enhancing the quality of life and environmental sustainability. While the term was coined by urbanist Carlos Moreno in 2016, the ideas behind it are rooted in earlier urban planning traditions. Influences include the work of Jane Jacobs, who advocated for vibrant, mixed-use neighborhoods, and Clarence Perry’s "neighborhood unit" concept from the 1920s. The model gained international attention when Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo incorporated it into her 2020 re-election campaign, further propelled by the COVID-19 pandemic, which highlighted the need for more resilient and community-focused urban spaces. The implementation of the 15-minute city is built on four main principles: proximity, diversity, density, and digitalization. These principles encourage urban planners to create self-sufficient neighborhoods with accessible services and alternative mobility options. While the model faces challenges like gentrification risks and the need for significant investment in existing urban areas, it represents a contemporary return to human-scaled urbanism, aiming to address climate change, support social inclusion, and enhance overall quality of life.

The Concept of the 15-Minute City

The "15-minute city" is an urban planning model where all essential daily needs-such as work, shopping, education, healthcare, and leisure-are accessible within a 15-minute walk or bike ride from any residence. The goal is to create compact, people-centered neighborhoods that reduce car dependency, promote healthy and sustainable living, and foster a strong sense of community. This model emphasizes mixed-use development, walkable streets, robust public spaces, and proximity to services, aiming to improve quality of life and environmental sustainability.

Origins and Historical Context

While the term "15-minute city" was coined by Franco-Colombian urbanist Carlos Moreno in 2016, the underlying ideas draw inspiration from much earlier urban planning traditions. The concept builds on the work of Jane Jacobs, who championed vibrant, mixed-use neighborhoods, and Clarence Perry’s "neighborhood unit" from the 1920s, which sought to design self-contained communities. It also echoes the principles of New Urbanism and the compact city movement, both of which advocate for walkable, mixed-use urban environments.

The 15-minute city gained significant international attention when Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo made it a central pillar of her 2020 re-election campaign, with Moreno as a key advisor. The COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated interest in the model, as cities sought ways to support local economies, reduce long commutes, and create more resilient, community-oriented urban spaces.

Principles and Implementation

The 15-minute city is built on four main principles:

Proximity: Essential services are located close to where people live.
Diversity: Mixed-use neighborhoods that combine residential, commercial, and recreational spaces.
Density: Sufficient population density to support a range of local services and amenities.
Digitalization: Leveraging technology to enable remote work, local e-commerce, and smart city services.

This approach encourages urban planners to design neighborhoods that are self-sufficient, with accessible green spaces, schools, healthcare, shops, and workplaces. It also supports alternative mobility options such as cycling and public transport, reducing the need for private vehicles and lowering carbon emissions.

The 15-Minute City in Sustainable Housing and Urban Development

The 15-minute city is increasingly used as a framework for sustainable urban development and housing policy. By concentrating amenities and services within walkable distances, cities can:

Reduce environmental impact: Lower reliance on cars decreases greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.
Promote social inclusion: Diverse, mixed-use neighborhoods foster community engagement and provide equitable access to services.
Support affordable housing: Integrating affordable housing into mixed-use developments can help prevent gentrification and displacement, though careful planning is needed to avoid rising property values and exclusion of lower-income residents.
Enhance public health: Walkability and access to green spaces encourage physical activity and social interaction.
Strengthen local economies: Local businesses benefit from increased foot traffic and community loyalty.

Cities like Paris, Melbourne, Portland, and others have begun implementing 15-minute city principles, adapting them to their specific contexts. In Paris, for example, the city has invested in cycling infrastructure, repurposed streets for pedestrians, and empowered communities to decide on local projects. Melbourne’s "20-minute neighborhoods" initiative similarly focuses on ensuring access to daily needs within a short walk, especially in inner and middle suburbs.

Criticisms and Challenges

While the 15-minute city is widely praised for its sustainability and livability benefits, it also faces challenges:

Gentrification risks: Increased desirability of walkable neighborhoods can drive up housing costs, potentially displacing lower-income residents.
Retrofitting existing cities: Transforming car-dependent urban areas into walkable neighborhoods requires significant investment and policy change.
Misconceptions: Some critics have falsely claimed the model restricts personal freedom or movement, but proponents emphasize that it expands choices rather than imposes limits.

Conclusion

The 15-minute city represents a contemporary return to human-scaled, community-oriented urbanism. By prioritizing proximity, diversity, and sustainability, it offers a compelling vision for the future of cities-one that addresses climate change, supports social inclusion, and enhances quality of life.