How The Fifteen-Minute City Could Transform Local Communities

City planning has historically revolved around one main purpose: convenience.  

Convenience for parents, children attending school, and professionals commuting to work has driven how cities and suburbs have been laid out for years. Because employees get little say in how their regions are developed, some often find themselves compromising their preferred living and working arrangements. 

That is, until the popularity of the fifteen-minute city emerged.  

As remote and hybrid work policies begin to alter how people work and live, cities eager to revitalize their economy are turning to this model of city planning to encourage activity. 

In short, the fifteen-minute city incorporates of every basic resource or service a professional may need when traveling to and from the workplace. The idea is that people can easily walk or bike these “cities” and have access to everyday needs, such as grocery stores, small workspaces, coffee shops, banks, fitness facilities, and everything in between. 

Not only is creating a condensed-like city helpful in driving workers back into supporting their local businesses, but it also addresses the gaps that flexible working leaves behind.  

These cities help build local communities, alleviate environmental pressure, and eliminate the stress of a daily commute within city centers.