The “15 minute city” rose in public awareness in 2020. Put simply, the idea is that residents of a city can reach all essential services and amenities within a 15 minute (a variation of this focuses on the 20 minute concept) walk, or bicycle ride.
The natural attraction presented by a 15/20 minute city are the aspects of practicality and liveability. In Scandinavia this is a reality in many cities as a living concept. Viewing walkability through the lens of the 15 minute city concept (and vice versa) is an essential dimension of sustainable urban mobility.
Additionally of interest are aspects of climate, culture and walkability. How we engage with space and our local built environments through the seasons is tied to aspects of culture and spatial planning. Looking to examples in the Nordics (or more broadly, the Global North) can provide rich case studies and examples on walkability, health and public space throughout the seasons.
Our focus thus begins in the Nordics (where we are currently based) where, through dialogue with urban and transportation planners and others working with the form of the city, we will learn more about best practices in the formation of 15/20 minute cities as well as common challenges and exploring solutions.