The "15-minute city" urban planning system has been probed thoroughly, and has been met
with considerable support in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. This plan proposes
neighborhoods where citizens can conveniently reach crucial services, employment, learning,
and leisure pursuits within a 15-minute stroll, bike ride, or public transportation trip from
their dwellings.
Visible declines in traffic due to the pandemic-induced lockdowns triggered a reappraisal of
urban transport and space utilization.
Holding fast to historical planning ideals such as Clarence Perry's Neighborhood Unit and
Ebenezer Howard's Garden City, the 15-minute city model incorporates eight primary
principles like locating essential services nearby, having a reliable public transport system,
attaining the ideal urban density, a variety of land usage, streets friendly to pedestrians and
cyclists, energetic public areas, embracing inclusivity, and universal access to resources.
However, realizing this ambitious idea in already existing metropolises entails multifarious
difficulties. Issues such as lack of public spaces, bureaucratic obstacles, monetary limitations,
multifarious city shapes, rejection of change, and political indifference are substantial
impediments.
Implementing the 15-minute city concept to different neighborhoods necessitates a
meticulous attitude.
It all starts with a thorough understanding of the particular needs and priorities of each
community to make the concept fit for the special qualities of the neighborhood, to involve
the local community to a great extent in the planning process, to make use of technology for
the distribution of information, and to accept versatility in the design are essential
approaches.
The 15-minute city model is being realized in cities like Portland, Boulder, Paris, Barcelona,
and Melbourne. These examples demonstrate the remarkable potential of stressing
accessibility, community engagement, and pliant urban planning, and this study aims to shed
light on the different actions taken to implement a change in urban planning dedicated to
bringing these cities closer to the theoretical concept of the city of 15 minutes.
Nevertheless, the notion is not without its detractors. Critics voice anxieties about potential
aggravation of pre-existing inequalities, fortifying spatial segregation, impracticality in
intricate urban settings, financial restrictions obstructing mixed-use developments, and social
resistance to alteration.
Despite the issues, the 15-minute city initiative is still viewed as a desirable goal for city
planners and policymakers, providing a blueprint for more accessible, sustainable, and
socially cohesive cities. For this vision to be realized, the difficulties must be met with
innovative solutions and community-initiated projects.