The concept of the 15-minute city was popularized by Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo.
The 15-minute city is an urban planning concept where most daily necessities and services, such as work, shopping, education, healthcare, and leisure, can be easily reached within a 15-minute walk, bike ride, or public transit trip from any point in the city[4]. The key goals of this approach are to:
- Reduce car dependency and promote more sustainable modes of transportation like walking and cycling[1][3]
- Improve quality of life and well-being for residents by providing convenient access to essential amenities[2][4]
- Revitalize neighborhoods and support the local economy[1][5]
- Promote healthier lifestyles through increased physical activity[1][2]
- Foster a greater sense of community and social interaction at the local level[1][5]
Implementing a 15-minute city requires rethinking traditional zoning and creating mixed-use, compact, walkable neighborhoods with a diverse range of housing, businesses, public spaces, and services[1][4]. It also involves improving pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, and ensuring reliable public transit connections to the wider city[3][5].
While the specific term was popularized recently by Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo, the underlying principles build upon earlier planning concepts like Clarence Perry's neighborhood unit and New Urbanism[1][4]. The 15-minute city has gained significant traction in the wake of COVID-19, with many cities around the world now looking to adopt this model to build more resilient, sustainable, and livable communities[2][3][4].
Citations: [1] https://www.cnu.org/publicsquare/2021/02/08/defining-15-minute-city [2] https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-27/the-15-minute-city-conspiracy/102015446 [3] https://www.dw.com/en/15-minute-cities-what-are-they-and-how-do-they-work/a-64907776 [4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/15-minute_city [5] https://www.burohappold.com/articles/15-minute-cities/ [6] https://www.15minutecity.com [7] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-10-03/15-minute-cities-what-are-they-and-why-are-they-controversial [8] https://www.deloitte.com/an/en/Industries/government-public/perspectives/urban-future-with-a-purpose/15-minute-city.html