In April 2024, I delivered an online lecture and remote workshop about the 15-minute city concept and issues of walkability for students at Mendel University in Brno (Czechia), Landscape Planning and Regional Development program under the supervision of Associate Professor Jitka Fialova.
I definitely always prefer to do workshops, talks, and presentations in person, but appreciate these remote opportunities we have now.
I also really enjoy working with university students of different disciplines for these 15-minute city workshops, which are often preceded by them taking part in an online survey that gauges their awareness of the topic as well as how they view their current city.
When asked, ‘How familiar are you with the concept of the 15-minute city‘ (above) 1 student responded ‘Very familiar‘, 4 responded ‘Somewhat familiar but could learn more‘ & 4 had ‘Never heard of the concept before‘.
This group of students was interesting as it was an international program, with young adults from Spain, Greece, Belgium, Finland and Sweden. A number of them came from small towns or rural and remote settings.
15-minute City Brno Survey, April 2024
When asked if they have previously lived in a city, neighborhood, town or village that they feel embodies the concept of a 15-minute city (above), 4 students replied ‘Yes‘ and 5 students replied ‘No‘
After learning about the basics of the 15-minute city concept, most of them (including the teacher, a local) reflected that, indeed, neighborhoods in Brno fit this description. For a number of them, living and studying in Brno was their first time experiencing this type of walkable, cyclable urbanism, also with access to quality public transportation.
When asked if the neighborhood they live in in Brno region fits the description of a 15-minute city (above), 7 said ‘Yes‘, 2 said ‘Somewhat‘, 0 said ‘No‘ and 0 said ‘Uncertain‘
The students lived in diverse areas of Brno including Brno Server (2 students), Brno-Cerna Pole (2 students), Brno Sever (2 students), Lisen (1 student, Menza Jak (1 student) and Veveří (1 student).
When asked which functions are reachable in a 15-20 minute walk or roll (wheelchair, cycle) in their neighborhood (above), students responded with the following.
- SUPERMARKETS, GROCERY STORES & BAKERIES: YES (9), NO (0), UNCERTAIN (0)
- PARKS & GREEN SPACES: YES (9), NO (0), UNCERTAIN (0)
- HEALTH CARE: YES (6), NO (0), UNCERTAIN (3)
- PHARMACY: YES (7), NO (0), UNCERTAIN (2)
- WORK: (if retired or unemployed please refer to last job): YES (3), NO (1), UNCERTAIN (6)
- PUBLIC TRANSPORT: YES (9), NO (0), UNCERTAIN (0)
- PLAYGROUNDS: YES (9), NO (0), UNCERTAIN (0)
- SPORTS & RECREATION: YES (7), NO (0), UNCERTAIN (2)
- CULTURAL FACILITIES: YES (6), NO (1), UNCERTAIN (2)
- SCHOOLS: YES (9), NO (0), UNCERTAIN (0)
- SHOPPING: YES (5), NO (2), UNCERTAIN (2)
- RESTAURANTS, CAFES & TAKEAWAYS: YES (9), NO (0), UNCERTAIN (1)
- POST OFFICE: YES (6), NO (1), UNCERTAIN (2)
- UNIVERSTY: YES (8), NO (0), UNCERTAIN (1)
When asked (15-minute City Brno Survey, April 2024) ‘How does the accessibility to the diverse above functions affect your quality of life?’, students responded:
- “Makes it easier”
- “Having easy access to everything makes me want to explore the town more and makes everything so much easier.”
- “It’s very good to have a good accessibility to all services you need, long travel times van cause more traffic and stress.”
- “Life is much easier when everything is close so I don’t have to plan long trip to store or school.”
- “Good, making everything easier.”
- “It’s very beneficial.”
- “It makes my life better.”
- “It has a positive affect when things are accessible because I can gain more time for my personal life.”
- “A lot as I can have an improvised way of life, I don’t have to plan everything in advance because if I feel like doing something on the moment, it doesn’t take me too long to get to the place.”
“The public transportation network is very good, in the neighbourhood I live now there is a lot of greenery. There are some shops at a close walking distance and I can just walk to university instead of taking the public transport which is great, I love it.”
-A student reflecting on how Brno exhibits the 15-minute city concept (15-minute City Brno Survey, April 2024)
When asked (15-minute City Brno Survey, April 2024) ‘How does the accessibility and availability of diverse functions affect your place attachment (a positive emotional bond with the area you live in)‘ students responded:
- “Makes it more livable”.”
- “Very good, I lived first in the Taufer dormitory, but I moved to the JAK one because the accessibility was better, I feel more comfortabel here.”
- “There is also a lot more greenery nearby which has a positive impact on me and my health.”
- “I like to live in the neighborhood due good public transportation and university is close.”
- “More social life.”
- “I feel happy about it.”
- “It makes me more attached to the place if it’s comfortable”
- “I am really enjoying this place, mostly because of these facilities and accesibilities that I have living in a small town.“
“I think that Brno, even the second biggest city of the Czech Republic, fits the concept of 15-minutes city.”
-A student reflecting on how Brno exhibits the 15-minute city concept (15-minute City Brno Survey, April 2024)
Due to the fact that they were students in a landscape planning program, we talked quite a bit about issues of parks, greenery, green belts, irrigation, water use, and urban heat. I was curious to hear their reflections on how they felt the discipline they were studying could help contribute to issues of urban and regional resilience.
Below are essays the students composed as homework after the course, reflecting on the 15-minute city concept and their hometown.
My town as a 15-minute Neighbourhood: By a Student from Spain
I live in a medium-sized town in València that has 12000 inhabitants. You can walk from one corner to another of the town within 20 minutes, so it’s really walkable and convenient. But does it have everything a human needs to fulfill their daily necessities? Well, it used to.
My grandma lived her whole life in my town and never had any complaints of the services that it offered. She used to go to the town’s doctor, who lived on the same street as her, and where she delivered her 4 children. When she needed some clothes she would go to her neighbour who knew how to sew and she would ask for the clothing piece that she needed.
“….if we focus on the real basic needs, my town does have it all, and it usually is locally sourced, which benefits the town’s economy.”
She used to work in the municipal school as a cleaning lady so she didn’t need transportation. She would consume local theatre when the association of my town did a new play and she would shop for everything at the farmer’s market. She left the town for the first time when she married my grandpa and they went for their honeymoon to València (nowadays you can go to Valencia from my town by a 30 minutes train or car ride).
She had a simple life but she was satisfied with what the town provided for her. Nowadays, with the globalization and the rhythm that capitalism has implemented in Western countries, we try to always achieve things that are out of our reach. People from my town aren’t satisfied with what the town offers because they want the newest in-trend shoes, they want to see the latest Hollywood production or they want to be able to eat the rarest fruit that comes from a tropical country. All of these services can’t be offered in municipalities with less population so the younger generations have this desire to get out of the town, which personally, I think is very sad.
“At the end of the day, we have to set our priorities and I feel privileged to say that my town is very convenient.“
But if we focus on the real basic needs, my town does have it all, and it usually is locally sourced, which benefits the town’s economy. There are green spaces, great education, a farmer’s market with high-quality products, a public health center, associations for the elders, a very active cinema, and much more.
At the end of the day, we have to set our priorities and I feel privileged to say that my town is very convenient.
The 15-minute City & Nature in the City: By a Student from Belgium
Aartrijke is a village in Belgium, Flanders. It is part of the bigger municipality Zedelgem. Flanders is known for its ribbon development and its scattered built-up areas. Both uses of space create a varied landscape where people feel at home but there’s a big problem; it’s unsustainable. Sadly, this village doesn’t fit the characteristics of a 15-minute city. But that’s also normal; you can’t provide all the services in a 15-minute range for all people living in a scattered landscape, like hospitals, and administration. It is a complex problem.
“The city has a lot of biking infrastructure, rental places, and bicycle repairers. In 15 minutes, you can travel great lengths across the city, and reach a lot of services.“
A better example of a 15-minute city is Ghent, the city where I go to university and stay during the workweek. There are different public transport options to take you around the city; buses and trams ride frequently around the city but are a bit costly, often they have a delay or it takes you a long time to get to your destination. The public transport network could be optimized, but it’s better to take your bike to go somewhere here. The city has a lot of biking infrastructure, rental places, and bicycle repairers. In 15 minutes, you can travel great lengths across the city, and reach a lot of services.
The walkability is also quite good; there are a lot of footpaths, pedestrian crossings and general pedestrian services. The effort to make the city a safer space is working. Taking the car is the worst option; there are a lot of one-way streets, speed restrictions, and few spaces to park your car. There is one big issue; tram tracks are necessary, but they’re really dangerous for bikers. Every year, accidents happen, sometimes people die or have to go to the hospital. On icy or rainy days, the tracks are slippery, so even if you are careful, you could get into an accident.
Implementing nature in the city planning is something different, but super interesting. There is so much to say about it, but here is some introduction to the topic. Green spaces have a lot of benefits; they can reduce temperatures and the urban heat island, capture rainwater and battle floodings and droughts (bioswales/wadi’s, blue-green infrastructure), filter pollution (reduce ozone levels, fine dust, heavy metals – with green walls, structural vegetation elements like trees or bushes) and so improve the physical quality of life in the city. It also affects our mental health; even just seeing nature from your window can reduce stress.
“…having a place to give outdoor classes stimulates children, which is very important. Especially in a time where screens dominate our daily lives and we lose a lot of knowledge and connection to nature. Green spaces, especially in the city, can provide numerous benefits.”
Some studies have shown that children have better cognitive development when they are exposed more to green spaces. It can also create a better community life and feel; having a place to sit, organize a picnic or workshops, etc. Recreating in a green environment has so positive physical and mental effects. Plus having a place to give outdoor classes stimulates children, which is very important. Especially in a time where screens dominate our daily lives and we lose a lot of knowledge and connection to nature. Green spaces, especially in the city, can provide numerous benefits.
Some key principles should be taken into account when planning and designing green spaces; Look first where and why you are planting the plants; some species have special characteristics or functions (desirable or a nuisance), native species have a naturally higher associated biodiversity, and species that are adapted to the local climatic conditions need less management. They take care of their own water and nutrient management and can be a part of the ecosystem without the frequent care of humans. They need less management, fertilizers, pesticides, watering. They are so much more cost-effective.
Biodiversity is also something important to take into account. Having a biodiverse set of species is good for the intrinsic biodiversity of the area but also makes the environment more resilient against pests, and changing climatic conditions (some species will survive, even if some won’t make it) and creates a better and diverse wildlife habitat and has a higher associated biodiversity. See also this interesting website about greenery and its connection to humans (in Dutch): https://biodiverszorggroen.be/.
15-minute City Concept of My Hometown: By a Student from Greece
My hometown is Komotini. Komotini is a small town in Nothern Greece. It has everything someone might need, very easily accessible and within walking distances. Each neighborhood has at least one primary and middle school but the high schools are all gathered in one area, which still is within a walkable 15-minute max distance.
“Public transport is also very easily found in many points of the town but not many people use it because everyone prefers to walk since the distances are not long.“
My hometown is a very popular college student town so it has to have all the facilities available at walking distance. You can find the hospital, even private doctors easily and also have access to public parks that are in the middle of the city. You can have access to sports as well, as you can find a natatorium, football, basketball, and volleyball court within 10 minutes from the center of the town. There are lots of cafeterias and restaurants as well, for every different taste and all kinds of people.
Public transport is also very easily found in many points of the town but not many people use it because everyone prefers to walk since the distances are not long. The only uses for public transport are for people that live in nearby villages.
“I think the COVID-19 situation was not good in terms of many businesses dying but it surely helped the mental health of people living in Komotini, because it gave its spark back.“
During the quarantine in 2020, Komotini was greatly affected because no one was outside. When the measures stopped being so strict, many people started making great use of the central park and the city square. People walked every day through the park, many small groups were doing yoga in nature, people with their small children and dogs walking and friends sitting in the park talking for hours, whilst keeping the safety measures and not making crowded spaces. The city square was also utilized since college students started a volleyball tournament with everyone that wanted to join in so the whole town was very alive with walking, playing, and working out.
I think the COVID-19 situation was not good in terms of many businesses dying but it surely helped the mental health of people living in Komotini, because it gave its spark back.
15-minute City – Neighbourhood: Jämsä, By a Student from Finland
Jämsä is city in the middle of Finland with around 20 000 people living in there. I lived in the centre all of my life until I moved to another city to study. Living in centre made my life much easier due to not needing a car to move around. Schools and hospital are nearby and the same with stores.
“Jämsä is car dependent city. Not many people can live without car if you don’t live right in the centre and many people have cars.”
Public transportation is quite bad in the city but the train to bigger cities nearby is quite good. Shopping options are quite limited so quite often locals have to go bigger cities nearby to shop.
It is common in Jämsä that people travel to near cities to work because salaries are better in those cities. But it also goes both ways because there are people who live in neighboring cities but work in Jämsä. Quite often these people are teachers. We had two factories in town but other of those was closed so many people lost their jobs and moved away.
“We have quite a lot of green areas in the centre but the nature is really close so anywhere you go from centre you are in forest or by the lake in like 5 minutes by walk.“
Jämsä is car dependent city. Not many people can live without car if you don’t live right in the centre and many people have cars. We have quite a lot of green areas in the centre but the nature is really close so anywhere you go from centre you are in forest or by the lake in like 5 minutes by walk. The city is so small that green areas in the centre will not make difference on the heat in the summer and like I said forest is the forest is very close.
15-Minute City-Neighborhood, By a Student from Spain
Madrid, my hometown, as the capital of Spain, is a really big city where it is difficult to move from one to another place in less than 20 minutes. However, my neighbourhood is quite complete, meeting the 15-minute rule. Within a short time I can have access to a huge variety of food stores such as local groceries, supermarkets or 24 hour shops. The same happens with healthcare, there are at least 15 hospitals distributed along the area, ensuring fast accessing medical services.
“There are also minor green zones in the neighbourhood, such as playgrounds for children or for elders, although it would be nice to implement new ones and maybe natural corridors to connect them for maintaining biodiversity, reducing heat and generating pleasant paths to walk from one to another part of the neighbourhood.“
In the education scene it hosts around 30 schools, both public and private, as well as various kindergartens. On the other hand, for adults there are several employment options, such as working as a bartender, hairdresser, or in a florist shop, school or language academy between others. However, as it is located in a big city it is quite common for the residents to move farther away for their professions.
The neighbourhood has an excellent infrastructure that allows easy access to many amenities and essential services. The subway has two different lines going through the area, Line 9 (Ibiza), Line 6 (Sainz de Baranda) and Line 2 (Goya). With these three you can almost move through the whole city with just one transfer. Moreover it provides many buses that take you to other neighbourhoods and even electric bikes.
This idea was implemented many years ago and nowadays it’s gaining more presence, nevertheless, there are not enough cycling paths that connect the neighbourhood yet and cyclists are forced to travel through the roads, which sometimes can seem a bit dangerous.
“Madrid, my hometown, is a really big city where it is difficult to move from one to another place in less than 20 minutes. However, my neighbourhood is quite complete, meeting the 15-minute rule.“
Apart from these basic needs my region offers a wide range of labour options, highlighting its proximity to the famous and huge Retiro park, which acts as a lung for the city. There are also minor green zones in the neighbourhood, such as playgrounds for children or for elders, although it would be nice to implement new ones and maybe natural corridors to connect them for maintaining biodiversity, reducing heat and generating pleasant paths to walk from one to another part of the neighbourhood.
There are also gyms, swimming pools, dance studios or associations that act in the Retiro Park with other sports such as, yoga, taichi, zumba, martial arts, skating. Although there is a big offer of indoor facilities I would appreciate having outdoor spaces such as volleyball or tennis courts or football fields with high availability and free (or at least cheap) entrance.
15-Minute City, By a Student from Greece
The area I will talk about is the village that I live in, Kleitoria. It is not a city but it fits the 15 minutes neighborhood concept. My village is in Greece and specifically in central Peloponnese. Because it is a small village, everything that anyone can need from hospitals to local markets are in a radius of a few hundred of meters. Surely, we don’t have all the facilities of big towns but we have the basics so that the citizens needs are covered.
“You can come in touch with nature there, and the heart of the forest was a very famous spot during Covid-19 where many people walked their dogs there to relax from the hard quarantine times.“
The village is between mountains with a lot of vegetation and beautiful landscapes. There are many trails that are easily accessible by foot for people of all ages. You can come in touch with nature there, and the heart of the forest was a very famous spot during Covid-19 where many people walked their dogs there to relax from the hard quarantine times.
Because of the size of the village and the population, we didn’t have all the strict measures that were applied to bigger cities. There were not big crowds, so everyone could use the recreation facilities like parks and sports fields etc.
“Because it is a small village, everything that anyone can need from hospitals to local markets are in a radius of a few hundred of meters. Surely, we don’t have all the facilities of big towns but we have the basics so that the citizens needs are covered.“
Before and after the quarantine the conditions were the same because of the low population. Although it was and is a very popular tourist attraction, my village’s businesses did suffer a bit but overall, minus the tourists, all conditions were the same both before and after the quarantine.
15-minute city in Baiona, Pontevedra, By a Student from Spain
Being from a town like Baiona, where the population is around 12.000 inhabitants over 35.5km2, I think I’ve experienced this 15-minute city concept but never completely like I may experience in bigger cities like Brno.
In our town we have the basics in a 15-minute range by walking or by bike, like groceries, pharmacies, jobs, schools, gymnasiums, hospitals. We also have good sidewalks all over the city, including some pedestrian streets. When talking about bikes, there’s a big city lane connecting this town to other towns nearby, separated from the road and from the cars and well signalized.
“I think the public transport could be improved by having more connections to different places and more frequency, as it’s needed for the inhabitants of these smaller towns and it’s the most important factor when talking about communication and ease of life of the people.“
Even having all of these facilities, I’ve always been car-dependent, having to take this type of transportation to go to places like the cinema, the public swimming pool, some sports facilities, etc, as the public transport is not very good and very slow, having a bus every hour connecting this town to the main big city nearby, but not to other towns or cities.
“When talking about nature in my town, I think we have one of the best examples. This town is located on the bottom of a hill, just on the coast. Having these two ecosystems, we can enjoy the forest just behind the town or the beach and the sea just in front of it.“
I think the public transport could be improved by having more connections to different places and more frequency, as it’s needed for the inhabitants of these smaller towns and it’s the most important factor when talking about communication and ease of life of the people.
When talking about nature in my town, I think we have one of the best examples. This town is located on the bottom of a hill, just on the coast. Having these two ecosystems, we can enjoy the forest just behind the town or the beach and the sea just in front of it.
If we want to focus on the town itself, it has a good number of parks with several trees and large surfaces of grass, and it also has trees on the sidewalks, giving you shade on the hot days and cooling the air down, which is a great thing in the summer.
A big thank you to Jitka for the opportunity to facilitate this lecture and workshop with your students!
-Annika, Founder at Pedestrian Space
Read more on our 15-minute city-related coverage and work at Pedestrian Space here