In an article titled “From Garden City to 15-Minute City: A Historical Perspective and Critical Assessment” the authors explore the evolution of urban planning ideas from the early 20th century to the present day, focusing on the concept of the "15-minute city." This concept is a modern urban planning strategy that aims to create neighborhoods where residents can access all their daily needs, such as work, shopping, education, and healthcare, within a 15-minute walk or bike ride. The article reviews the history of various urban planning movements, like the Garden City and neighborhood unit plans, which emphasized green spaces and self-contained communities. These earlier movements aimed to create more livable and sustainable urban environments, a goal that aligns with the 15-minute city model's focus on reducing car dependency and promoting local living.
The article critically assesses the 15-minute city concept by comparing it with historical ones. While the concept has gained traction as a response to challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, the authors argue that it shares similarities with past movements that also sought to improve urban living through better design and planning. However, the 15-minute city concept also faces criticisms similar to those faced by its predecessors. For example, it is based on the idea that changing physical spaces will automatically improve social outcomes, a notion known as "physical determinism." The authors suggest that this assumption might not always hold true, as creating truly sustainable and inclusive urban environments requires addressing broader social, economic, and political factors.
Finally, the article suggests that while the 15-minute city is a promising approach to urban planning, there are still many challenges to implementing it effectively. These include ensuring equity in access to services, preventing gentrification, and adapting the model to different urban contexts. The authors call for more research and real-world examples to understand better the strengths and weaknesses of their concept. They argue that while the idea offers a compelling vision for the future of cities, its success will depend on how well it integrates with other urban planning strategies and how it addresses the diverse needs of urban populations.
Khavarian-Garmsir, Amir Reza, Sharifi, Ayyoob, Abadi, Mohammad Hajian Hossein, Moradi, Zahra “From Garden City to 15-Minute City: A Historical Perspective and Critical Assessment” Land 2023, 12, 512.