Do you know what a 15-minute city is?
According to an analysis made by the University of the Built Environment (Dec 2024), the concept has become one of the most debated (and misunderstood) ideas in modern urban planning.
And yet, the idea is surprisingly simple:
having everything you need — food, healthcare, parks, school, work, culture — within a 15-minute walk or bike ride.
So why is it back in the spotlight?
Because our cities aren’t working as well as we think.
- The average person now spends 59 minutes commuting every day (even more than a decade ago).
- Outside major cities, 70% of people commute by car.
- Urban sprawl means travelling farther for food, school, healthcare, and work.
No wonder urban planners worldwide are revisiting the 15-minute model as a way to reduce emissions, improve access, and strengthen daily wellbeing.
The article highlights something important:
while the concept has become the target of conspiracy theories and political controversy, its foundations are not new at all.
From Ebenezer Howard’s “Garden Cities” (1902) to Clarence Perry’s neighbourhood units (1920s), to compact-city models in the 1970s, cities have been trying for more than a century to bring services closer to people.
The modern version simply names the essentials residents should have within reach:
living, working, commerce, healthcare, education and entertainment.
At HORUS – Urban Health, this matters because proximity is a health issue.
When services are too far, when streets are unsafe, when air quality is poor, or when only cars “work”, healthy choices become harder, especially for vulnerable communities.
Designing for shorter distances isn’t just good planning.
It’s a public health strategy.
Reference:
L. Serck, “A guide to 15-minute cities: why are they so controversial?,” University of the Built Environment, Jan. 28, 2025. https://www.ube.ac.uk/whats-happening/articles/15-minute-city/