15-minute Cities as Social-Ecological Transformation

Recently, various cities around the world have introduced urban planning policies based on the concept of 15-minute cities. Examples include Barcelona, Bogota, Buenos Aires, Melbourne, Milan, Paris, and Portland.

The concept of “hyper-localization” in 15-minute cities offers a pathway for cities to significantly reduce carbon emissions. This is achieved through a decreased reliance on private vehicles and a redesign of public spaces to include more green areas, fewer roads, and improved public services and amenities. In addition to enhancing accessibility, this approach to urban living fosters stronger neighborhood ties, a greater sense of community and place identity, increased social interaction, improved public health and safety, and facilitates more decentralized and participatory forms of governance.

Despite the popularity of the 15-minute city model, little attention has been given to justice considerations. Without addressing these, the model may worsen existing socio-spatial inequalities and tensions, such as processes of gentrification. To tackle this gap, the project applies a methodological framework based on Social-Ecological Transformation principles to examine cases of 15-minute city implementation. The aim is to assess the extent to which this model represents a transformative approach that supports a just urban transition.

Project activities

The project draws upon systematic literature reviews and expert interviews conducted in cities in Thailand and Estonia to compare different urban contexts. As part of the methodology, the project also seeks to evaluate the strengths, opportunities, and drawbacks of AI research tools.