Title: The X-Minute City: models of urban proximity

Chair:

Assoc. Prof. Alcestis Rodi

Department of Architecture

University of Patras

Abstract/Description:

Time-related City Models where daily needs can be reached within a few minutes from home on foot, bike, or public transport were globally embraced during the Covid-19 pandemic to pursue a green and socially just recovery. Aligned with this growing trend towards localisation, Paris piloted the 15-Minute City, cities of Australia and UK the 20-Minute City, originally coined in Portland, Oregon, while Sweden introduced a hyper-local module, the 1-Minute City.

Design modules that come as a function of time in order to regulate built environment is not something new.  A review of city plans in history reveals the concealed origins and the underlying persistence of the X-Minute City along with its various aspects. Urban density has always required proximity. Yet, distance and travelling time in the modern metropolises keep expanding at the cost of natural and human ecosystems.  

The pre-organised session will bring together researchers so as to expand and deepen knowledge on how urban form and experience change when community services can mostly be reached within a certain time span using specific means of transport, what places need and how they look and perform when 20-,15-,10-,5- or 1-Minute City is set as a goal. Furthermore, the role of smart technology in planning for proximity through both formal and informal channels will be explored.

Participants in the session will be able to:

• Examine issues of sustainability and social justice as time-related urban modules.
• Assess X-Minute City models through a multi-faceted examination of historic case studies.
• Learn from best practice in the implementation of X-Minute City models throughout the design process, from initial ideation to community engagement.
• Discuss the future of time-related planning in the context of Smart Cities