The 15 minute city is one of the hottest concepts in urban planning today, and for good reason. The idea is simple: every resident should have access to work, shopping, recreation, education, entertainment, and health care within a 15 minute walk or bike ride from anywhere in the city. No car required.
The goal of the 15 minute city is to reduce car dependency and increase walkability through density, improved transportation access, and abundant open space. The result, in theory, is a healthier environment, healthier citizens, and a measurable increase in quality of life. It is an idea that connects directly to what we are exploring throughout the Saving the City documentary series about how to make cities better places.
The 15 minute city is not just a planning concept. It is a response to decades of car-centered urban development that has spread cities thin, isolated neighborhoods, and made daily life more expensive and time-consuming than it needs to be. Cities that have embraced the 15 minute city model, from Paris to Melbourne to Portland, are seeing real results: more foot traffic, stronger local economies, and residents who report higher satisfaction with daily life.
For cities still dependent on the car, the 15 minute city represents both a challenge and an opportunity. It requires rethinking zoning, transit, and public space from the ground up. But as Saving the City documents across North America, the cities making that investment are pulling ahead.
We cover all aspects of the 15 minute city throughout the Saving the City documentary series, from the walkable neighborhoods of Philadelphia to the transit investments reshaping cities across the continent. A popular neighborhood cafe, coffee roastery, and bakery in Philadelphia is just one example of the kind of everyday amenity that makes a 15 minute city feel lived-in and real.
We recently started filming in Atlanta and Birmingham for stories going into upcoming episodes, adding more examples of how cities are working toward the 15 minute city ideal. One year into our newsletter, we have consolidated our opening episodes into one that is approaching a watchable rough cut, produced new short videos, and added a talented writer/producer to speed up production.
Meet Don Carter, founder of the Remaking Cities Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, on walkable cities and what the 15 minute city means for the future of urban planning. Watch more videos.
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