The 15-minute city: rethinking our urban life in the 21st century

This idea is more than a planner’s fantasy; it has been endorsed by influential bodies such as C40 Cities, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) and UN-Habitat, and is gaining traction worldwide.

Yet, it faces fierce opposition from two main camps – those who see it infringing on their car-dependent lifestyles, and urbanists who argue that it oversimplifies the complex dynamics of metropolitan areas and even fosters a new gentrification.

The most vocal critics of the 15-minute city often come from those who cherish their cars as symbols of freedom and convenience. Urban design has prioritised cars for decades, making them integral to daily life.

However, this car-centric approach has led to congested roads, polluted air and sprawling cities that can only be navigated with vehicles. Critics argue that the 15-minute city threatens their mobility and lifestyle, but this perspective overlooks the benefits of reducing car dependency.

Cities prioritising walking, cycling and public transit tend to have cleaner air, less traffic and healthier residents. Imagine waking up, walking your children to school, grabbing a coffee at a local café and commuting to work – all without the stress of traffic jams or the search for parking.

Debunking the car-culture myth requires confronting our biases and reimagining our urban landscapes. The 15-minute city is not about banning cars but about offering a better way of life. Reducing car use in densely populated areas can decrease pollution and enhance public health. For example, pioneer city Paris, under Mayor Anne Hidalgo, has been transforming its streets to prioritise pedestrians and cyclists, resulting in cleaner air and a more vibrant urban life. Reclaiming urban spaces from cars is not just about convenience; it’s a matter of public health.

Studies have shown that reducing car traffic can significantly lower harmful pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter, which are linked to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, fewer cars on the road means fewer accidents and fatalities.

Another benefit of the 15-minute city is its potential to boost local economies. When people can walk or cycle to local businesses, they are more likely to spend money supporting small businesses and creating jobs. This can lead to more vibrant and resilient neighbourhoods, where local shops and services thrive. The Covid-19 pandemic underscored the importance of local economies, as global supply chains were disrupted and people turned to nearby resources for their needs. The 15-minute city embraces this shift towards localisation, promoting economic sustainability and community resilience.

Each neighbourhood becomes a large part of the city, offering diverse services and amenities while seamlessly linking to the more extensive metropolitan network through efficient public transport. Let’s zoom in on the city of Paris, a pioneer in implementing the 15-minute city. Take local commerce – commercial property company La Foncière Paris Commerces is a genuine urban innovation designed to make it easier to set up businesses throughout the city, with low rents and professional support – and it’s working. This approach can mitigate the risks of gentrification and social isolation by ensuring that all areas are well served and connected.

What is the key to combating gentrification? Turning the 15-minute city into a genuine medium- and long-term urban policy strategy with the common good at its heart. As a reminder, Paris is introducing a bioclimatic local city plan, which will become the urban strategy for the next decade and has this concept at its heart.

Take housing policy, for example. We need to break down the social barriers that have been entrenched for so long and are at the heart of segmentation. Let’s not be afraid to say it – social housing is a formidable lever for developing social diversity. Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo “is confident that the plan will not only curb the city’s affordable housing problem but also prevent further segregation of the high- and low-income areas of the city”.

In 2021, in the 19th arrondissement in the north-east of Paris, in overcrowded and working-class districts, the social housing rate was 42%, while in the exclusive and wealthy 7th arrondissement, it was 2.2%. This is absolute urban segregation, which has been going on for decades. Yet, in Rue Saint Dominique, at the heart of this luxurious district, 50% of the former Ministry of the Armed Forces headquarters at Îlot Saint-Germain now houses low-income families in social housing. The icing on the cake is that this development was awarded the prestigious Équerre d'Argent 2023 prize for the quality of its architectural design.

This is just one of many examples of a city that wants to continue to not only increase the level of social housing in the city but, above all, to promote social diversity by introducing social housing in the richest areas. This political will is reinforced by significant changes in working patterns. In the aftermath of Covid-19, and the energy crisis following the war in Ukraine, homeworking and hybrid working are common. Employees in the 20-40 age bracket are asking for a reduction in the amount of time they are obliged to work in the office, and, as a result, are cutting back on long commutes.

They are also taking more time to participate in community activities, spend time with their families and engage in leisure pursuits. This leads to a more balanced and fulfilling life, with less stress and more opportunities for social interaction. The crisis in business districts, in Paris and other major capitals, shows that times have changed in the world of work. Some 50 years after visionary Jack Nilles first proposed telecommuting in 1973, his ideas have taken root.

Embracing the 15-minute city requires addressing car-centric critics by acknowledging mobility and economic integration concerns, while showcasing successful implementations. Dedicated research programmes, such as Europe’s Driving Urban Transitions (DUT), promote collaborative projects involving cities, academics, researchers and the private sector. A recent DUT report presents practical implementation cases from 100 cities, offering a comparative look at how this concept is being realised across Europe, while numerous international conferences and scientific publications have established it as a significant research area.

The 15-minute city and broader metropolitan planning are complementary. Well equipped neighbourhoods can form the foundation of a dynamic metropolitan region, connected by public transport infrastructure for quick travel over longer distances. This allows residents to enjoy the benefits of the 15-minute city while accessing the entire metropolis for work, leisure or other needs. Cities and regions as far apart as Paris and its Île-de-France area, Melbourne, Busan and Scotland are moving in this direction.

Flexibility is critical, enabling each neighbourhood to tailor services and infrastructure to specific needs. Residential areas focus on access to schools and parks, while commercial districts support small businesses, creating vibrant, dynamic places for living. The 15-minute city is a framework for rethinking our towns. By fostering inclusive, sustainable and resilient cities, we can improve our quality of life and prepare for future urban challenges. The concept’s transformative potential for urban living is undeniable, offering a hopeful vision for 21st-century urban life.

Professor Carlos Moreno is the author of The 15-Minute City: A Solution to Saving Our Time and Our Planet (Wiley, 2024). He is an associate professor at the IAE Paris Sorbonne Business School in France, and the co-founder and scientific director of the Entrepreneurship-Territory-Innovation (EI) chair. He is a pioneer in intelligent cities and a globally recognised specialist in the intelligent control of complex systems. He is passionate about bringing together scientific disciplines and professionals in the innovation ecosystem.

Photo credit: ©Thomas Baltes