An idea born in Paris promotes social functions within minimal travel distance to help uncover the human face of cities.

“All amenities within 15 minutes of home. This is the promise of the quarter-hour city, an urban planning concept that aims to reduce travel by concentrating essential needs -school, work, care, leisure, shopping- within walking or cycling distance in neighbourhoods. Utopia or solution to decarbonise the city?” (1)

So begins a piece by the French daily newspaper L’Opinion that discusses the growing popularity of the 15-minute city, a relatively new model developed by urbanist Carlos Moreno.

“The concept is to improve quality of life by creating cities where everything a resident needs can be reached within a quarter of an hour by foot or bike,” says a recent BBC article. (2)

This model is both a response to the climate crisis and the urban sprawl that pushes those on the peripheries further out, two issues that preceded the pandemic. But the outbreak of Covid-19 “has rapidly kickstarted a trend toward localisation”, putting the 15-minute city on the agenda of metropolitan areas around the world. (3) The reasoning is that this solution will help cut down on emissions by discouraging long commutes.

Benefits

According to the Congress for the New Urbanism, a nonprofit advocacy organisation, this solution provides several benefits. First of all, it is socioeconomically equitable, which means that those without a car could easily access all their needs. Second, and related to the first one, it minimises the need for transportation, a reduction in fuel which in turn helps mitigate global warming. Third, it promotes human-powered transportation, which improves health and well-being. Finally, the convenient location of services -now accessible by multiple modes- saves time and improves quality of life, while also helping small local producers. (4)

“Many people have met their neighbours for the first time, have accessed little shops and, the most important point in my opinion, have developed a different understanding of what makes useful time: we can live at a slower pace and work using digital technologies to reduce travel time,” says Moreno. “This time could be used for personal or family or neighbourhood activities, it is possible to live very differently with one or even two hours of extra free time each day.” (5)

Challenges

The process in Paris started with Quartier des Olympiades, a neighbourhood located in the 13th district home to 10,000 inhabitants, including a large Asian community.

Changes in the urban fabric were accompanied by other important measures. The town hall of the 13th arrondissement underwent a thorough renovation, including new ramps, elevators and other accessible facilities. A new DIY library for the neighbourhood, known as bricothèque, opened its doors in October 2021. The idea to create a bricothèque accessible to all was submitted by two local residents in 2016 and was approved as part of the Participatory Budget. Now strollers, shopkeepers and inhabitants create a very unique atmosphere of the Quartier des Olympiades. (10)

However, implementing these changes in other parts of the city was not a walk in the park for the city government.

“During her mandate, Hidalgo has closed off more than three kilometres of heritage real estate to cars, moving an estimated 73,000 daily car trips off the banks of the river,” recalls a recent piece on Politico. This angered motorists and some middle class families who live beyond the ring road, the Péripherique. Amid protests, the mayor had to backtrack on some of her policies, including some unpopular urban designs that were seen incompatible with the city’s heritage. (11)

1. Parking spots are transformed into terraces and gardens 2. Pacified streets for bikers and strollers 3. A garden in every sidewalk 4. Safe roads for children 5. More proximity services

But in general, the 15-minute city proved to be fairly popular with Parisans and was used as a cornerstone of Hidalgo’s successful reelection campaign. (12) In 2021, Moreno received the Obel Award for this new urban concept.

In the words of Martha Schwartz, the Jury Chair for the 2021 award: “We are living in a time of urgency to make a change and live more efficiently. The ‘15-minute City’ addresses the need for us to rethink how our cities can be reimagined, redesigned, and regenerated for the primary benefit of people and the environment. [This] is a real step towards the future – a bold and needed perspective.” (13)

Our take

This solution is ideal for medium- or large-sized cities who want to improve the quality of life of their neighbourhoods, promote active mobility and make better use of public facilities. However, it should be carefully implemented taking into account the local identity and the overall income level of the city. If you want to know how we can help you implement this solution, please contact us and request more information.

References

(1) Arensonas, N. (2021) “La ville du quart d’heure, ce concept qui fait débat”, L’Opinion, 17-11-2021 [link]

(2) Yeung, P. (2021) “How ‘15-minute cities’ will change the way we socialise”, BBC Worklife [link]

(3) Ibíd.

(4) Duany, A. and Steuteville, R. (2021). “Defining the 15-minute city”, Public Square, Congress for the New Urbanism [link]

(5) Pertusini, G. (2021) “Living differently: how does a 15-minute city work?”, RICS, 02-07-2021 [link]

(6) Holland, J. (2021) “The Changing Shape of Mobility in Paris - A review of what has changed between 2013 and 2021”, LinkedIn post [link]

(7) Pinto, F. and Akhavan, M. (2022). “Scenarios for a Post-Pandemic City: urban planning strategies and challenges of making Milan 15-minutes city”, Transportation Research Procedia 60 [link]

(8) City of Portland (2012) “Future Possibilities and Choices: 20-Minute Neighborhoods”, Portland Plan Atlas [link]

(9) Victoria State Government (2018) “20-Minute Neighbourhoods”, Plan Melbourne [link]

(10) City of Paris (2021) "Le quartier des Olympiades au rythme de la ville du quart d’heure", 14-10-2021 [link]

(11) Caulcutt, C. (2021) "Anne Hidalgo’s sack of Paris", Politico,

15-12-2021 [link]

(12) Duany, A. and Steuteville, R. Op Cit.

(13) Shah, D. (2021) “Professor Carlos Moreno receives Obel Award 2021 for his ‘15-Minute City’ concept”, Stir World, 28-10-2021 [link]