It’s time to build 15-minute cities…
where everything we need is within a 15-minute walk or bike ride…
and neighbourhoods are built around our basic needs.
15-minute cities can cut carbon emissions and bring communities closer together.
The idea is a world away from many modern cities…
where all of our space is either planned around or surrendered to cars.
In Copenhagen 90% of people do not use a car, yet 64% of transport space is allocated to them.
With only 26% for sidewalks and 7% for bikes.
The lockdowns of 2020 and 2021 are changing how we see our cities…
And the idea of re-planning them is catching on.
Paris is removing 140,000 on-street car parking bays…
And stripping back roads to create more space for pedestrians and cyclists.
London has introduced its “Mini-Hollands” project…
where three boroughs have been given £30M to create more space for cyclists.
Barcelona has been experimenting with “superblocks”…
Where all interior roads within a 400 by 400 metre block are closed off to all traffic except for residents.
90% of Portland’s residents will be able to walk or cycle to meet non-work needs by 2030.
Lockdowns have accelerated many of these initiatives.
We are beginning to see what the future of cities will look like…
And it’s likely to be carless.