Eduphoria - An International Multidisciplinary Magazine
Vol.04, Issue 01 (Jan- Mar 2026)
An International scholarly/ academic magazine, peer-reviewed/ refereed magazine, ISSN : 2960-0014
The 15-Minute City: Reclaiming Our Urban Spaces for a Sustainable Future
Reddy, Dudipala Sai Kiran
0009-0006-9261-7674
M. Tech. Sustainable Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Telangana
About The Author
Dudipala Sai Kiran Reddy is an accomplished and promising young academic with a strong background in architecture and a passion for sustainability research. He graduated with a bachelor’s in architecture from ICFAI University, where he was recognised for his academic excellence with a gold medal. He is currently pursuing a Master of Technology (M.Tech.) in Sustainable Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH). His research interests focus on sustainable practices, particularly within urban development and green building, reflecting a commitment to impactful, forward-thinking solutions. He first became interested in sustainable engineering while studying architecture, where he gained a profound understanding of how design, technology, and environmental responsibility are intertwined. Projects from his undergraduate studies that combined local material utilisation and passive design principles served as a foundation for his doctoral work. To provide creative, environmentally responsible engineering solutions for the built environment, he has been engaged in cutting-edge research at IITH. He is especially intrigued by using smart technology to maximise building performance and the implementation of circular economy ideas in the construction industry. He aspires to add to the global conversation on building more sustainable, egalitarian, and resilient cities for the coming generations as a dedicated researcher.
Impact Statement
With the potential to completely change how billions of people live, work, and engage with their communities, the 15-Minute City is more than just a planning framework. Climate change, public health emergencies, and growing socioeconomic disparities are all immediately addressed by emphasising accessibility, equity, and closeness. Evidence of quantifiable carbon emission reductions, gains in physical and mental health, and local economy revitalisation may be found in Paris, Barcelona, Melbourne, Portland, and Shanghai. The 15-Minute City’s real influence, however, comes from its capacity to rethink urban life itself—moving away from sprawl dominated by cars and towards resilient, human-centred settlements. Fair implementation reduces social and environmental hazards while empowering people, bolstering democracy, and building liveable communities for future generations.
Cite this Article
APA 7th Edition: Reddy, D. S. K. (2026). The 15-minute city: Reclaiming our urban spaces for a sustainable future. Eduphoria: An International Multidisciplinary Journal, 4(1), 102–109. https://doi.org/10.59231/EDUPHORIA/230472
MLA 9th Edition: Reddy, Dudipala Sai Kiran. “The 15-Minute City: Reclaiming Our Urban Spaces for a Sustainable Future.” Eduphoria: An International Multidisciplinary Journal, vol. 4, no. 1, 2026, pp. 102-109. doi:10.59231/EDUPHORIA/230472.
Chicago 17th Edition: Reddy, Dudipala Sai Kiran. “The 15-Minute City: Reclaiming Our Urban Spaces for a Sustainable Future.” Eduphoria: An International Multidisciplinary Journal 4, no. 1 (2026): 102–109. https://doi.org/10.59231/EDUPHORIA/230472.
Statements & Declarations
Peer Review: This research paper has undergone a formal double-blind peer-review process. It was evaluated by two independent external reviewers with expertise in Sustainable Urban Planning and Environmental Engineering. The review focused on the technical feasibility of the proposed “chrono-urbanism” frameworks and the validity of the sustainability metrics applied to the Indian urban context.
Competing Interest: The author, Dudipala Sai Kiran Reddy, declares that there are no financial, personal, or professional conflicts of interest that could have influenced the research, data collection, or the strategic urban recommendations presented in this manuscript.
Data Availability: The urban planning models and qualitative data regarding the 15-minute city framework analyzed in this study are derived from the author’s M.Tech research at IIT Hyderabad. Detailed datasets and spatial analysis results are available from the author upon reasonable request, subject to institutional data protection policies.
Funding: This research was conducted as part of the Master of Technology (M.Tech) program in Sustainable Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad. The work was supported by institutional academic resources; no specific external grants from commercial or private sectors were utilized for this study.
License © 2026 by Reddy, D. S. K. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and the source (Eduphoria: An International Multidisciplinary Journal) are properly credited.
Ethical Approval: This study adheres to the ethical standards for research in engineering and social sciences. The author confirms that all data regarding urban mobility and neighborhood accessibility were handled with academic integrity. The research protocol was overseen by the academic committee of the Department of Civil Engineering (Sustainable Engineering), IIT Hyderabad.
Abstract
One of the 21st century’s most significant urban planning concepts, the 15-Minute City aims to enhance quality of life by making sure that all necessary services, including employment, education, healthcare, recreation, and commerce, are within easy walking or bicycling distance. To address the urgent issues of public health emergencies, growing social inequality, urbanisation, and climate change, this article looks at the model. Based on global case studies from Paris, Barcelona, Melbourne, and cities in the Global South, the study shows how proximity-based design may boost local economies, promote social cohesion, and drastically cut carbon emissions. Evidence from local pilot programs and C40 Cities shows that transport-related emissions might be reduced by up to 30%, active travel could be increased by 10% to 20%, and urban air quality and public health indicators could significantly improve.
In addition, the study critically examines implementation barriers such as gentrification concerns, political opposition, and challenges in modifying the model for informal or expansive urban settings. The paper makes the case that the 15-Minute City should be viewed as a flexible framework that can be adjusted to different urban geographies rather than as a strict blueprint by synthesising academic research, policy papers, and empirical data. A policy roadmap that incorporates digital mapping technology, affordable housing, participatory governance, and proximity planning is presented in the conclusion. In the end, the study presents the 15-Minute City as a revolutionary approach to creating resilient, sustainable, and just urban futures.
Keywords: sustainable urban planning, polycentric cities, social equity, resilient neighbourhoods, climate change adaptation.
A New Paradigm for Urban Living
The concept of functional separation dominated twentieth-century urban planning. Cities were divided into monofunctional zones—residential suburbs, commercial districts, and industrial areas—connected largely by private vehicles, driven by modernist ideals like Le Corbusier’s Radiant City and post-war suburbanisation. Unprecedented economic prosperity and mobility were brought about by this approach, but it also had unexpected repercussions, such as reduced social cohesiveness, air pollution, urban sprawl, chronic traffic congestion, and carbon-intensive lifestyles. An important cause of social disintegration and climate change, the car-centric metropolis was previously seen as a sign of advancement.
As cities struggle with the dual issues of social justice and environmental sustainability, academics and decision-makers are looking for other approaches. Carlos Moreno’s 15-Minute City [7] is one of them that presents a convincing paradigm shift. It imagines a polycentric urban structure where people may walk or cycle to employment, shopping, healthcare, education, and entertainment in 15 minutes. Instead of promoting remote “villages,” this approach suggests linked communities that serve as thriving, independent centres, lessening the need for lengthy commutes and concentrated business areas.
Paris, Barcelona, and Melbourne have all incorporated the idea’s tenets into their planning initiatives, demonstrating its global appeal. In addition, it has generated discussions regarding cultural adaptation, gentrification, and viability, especially in the Global South [4]. The fundamental ideas, advantages, and practical uses of the 15-Minute City are critically examined in this essay, along with its drawbacks and suggested fixes. It contends that the model is a roadmap for resilient, sustainable, and egalitarian urban futures rather than merely an urban trend by fusing policy analysis, statistical data, and a study of the literature.
FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES
The Pillars of Proximity
The theory behind the 15-Minute City is surprisingly straightforward: people should spend more time living and less time travelling. Accessibility, equity, and human well-being are prioritised over road capacity or car ownership as indicators of a city’s success. It is based on four interconnected ideas.
Chrono urbanism: Reclaiming Time
Time is emphasised as the primary measure of urban existence in chrono urbanism, a term coined by Moreno [7]. By bringing necessary services nearby, it aims to reduce travel time rather than focusing on speed of movement over great distances. According to research, there is a negative correlation between life satisfaction, community relationships, and health outcomes in places whose daily commutes are more than 45 minutes [5].
Mixed-Use Development
In contrast to rigorous zoning that separates land uses, the 15-Minute City supports mixed-use districts where residences, businesses, retail establishments, schools, and parks coexist. Mixed-use neighbourhoods in European cities, according to research by Khavarian-Garmsir et al. [6], reduced per capita automobile reliance and produced 25% more local economic activity than single-use areas.
Decentralisation: Polycentric Cities
The approach relies heavily on polycentricity: several neighbourhood centres share economic and cultural services rather than a single, dominant downtown. The “20-Minute Neighbourhood” project in Melbourne has promoted concentrated activity hubs to lessen suburban reliance on the central business district [9].
Ecological and Social Resilience
Cities may significantly reduce emissions associated with transportation by giving priority to walking and bicycling. In Warsaw, Krauze-Maślankowska and Maślankowski [8] showed that within five years, 15-Minute City designs decreased CO₂ emissions by 12% and automobile journeys by 18%. In addition to its positive effects on the environment, the approach strengthens social networks by facilitating local connections, which increases resilience in times of crisis like pandemics [1].
Comparison of Car-Centric vs. 15-Minute City Planning
BENEFITS
A Holistic Approach to Urban Well-being
The 15-Minute City generates interconnected benefits across multiple dimensions.
Environmental Sustainability: Reductions of up to 30% in transport-related CO₂ in Paris [2].
Public Health: Walkability linked to reduced depression and anxiety [10].
Economic Vitality: €1 spent locally generates €1.70 in community economic activity [6].
Social Equity: Melbourne’s pilot projects reported a 15% increase in perceived accessibility for low-income residents [9].
Social Capital: Residents of walkable neighbourhoods are twice as likely to know their neighbours [1].
Quantified Benefits of the 15-Minute City
GLOBAL CASE STUDIES
From Vision to Reality
Case studies show diverse applications:
Paris: 30% decline in car traffic; 54% rise in cycling, but property prices rose 18% more than average [7].
Barcelona: Superblocks reduced car trips by 13.5% and NO₂ by 15% [2].
Melbourne: “20-Minute Neighbourhoods” improved accessibility, but suburban retrofitting is costly [9].
Portland: GIS-based accessibility mapping; walkable districts recorded 30–40% higher retail revenues [6].
Shanghai: “15-Minute Community Life Circles” improved service access for 80% of residents [4].
Comparative Case Studies
CHALLENGES AND CRITICISMS
Key challenges include:
Gentrification: Displacement risk; property values rose 18–20% in Paris zones [3].
Political Resistance: Support drops when parking is removed (65% → 42%) [11].
Feasibility in Diverse Contexts: Informality in the Global South limits adoption [4].
Funding Barriers: High costs of infrastructure upgrades [8].
Misinformation: Conspiracies portray the model as restrictive [3].
Challenges and Policy Solutions
CONCLUSION
According to the data in this article, the 15-Minute City is an essential urban plan for the twenty-first century rather than a passing architectural fad. It is positioned as a potent answer to the global concerns of pandemics, inequality, and climate change because of its all-encompassing advantages, which include more social cohesiveness, healthier people, reduced emissions, and better local economies. However, it will only live up to its promise if equity stays at its centre. In the absence of strong protections against gentrification, open governance, and significant community involvement, the concept runs the danger of escalating the issues it aims to resolve.
By adopting proximity planning, communities may reduce transportation-related emissions by up to 30%, avert thousands of premature deaths by promoting active mobility and better air quality, and create stronger, more resilient local economies, according to this research. However, the cultural and political message of the 15-Minute City—that time, community, and sustainability are more important than speed, commerce, or automobiles—has a deeper meaning.
By 2050, two-thirds of the world’s population will reside in urban areas, making the 15-Minute City concept mandatory rather than discretionary. It is imperative that communities, planners, and policymakers take advantage of this chance to create fair, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable neighbourhoods. As a result, the 15-Minute City may be used as a model for rethinking urban life and making sure that future cities are made to enhance rather than merely support human existence.
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