Mon Sep 16 16:05:19 UTC 2024: ## “15-Minute City” Ideal Falls Short for Many Cities: New Study Highlights Inequality
**Vienna, Austria** – A new study published in *Nature Cities* has found that the popular “15-minute city” concept – where essential services are within a 15-minute walk or bike ride – is not equally attainable in cities around the world. The research, led by Vittorio Loreto of the Complexity Science Hub Vienna and Sony CSL—Rome, reveals significant disparities in access to services, highlighting inequalities both within cities and between regions.
The study, which created an open-access platform to assess cities worldwide, found that many European cities score highly in terms of accessibility, with Vienna as a prime example. However, cities in the U.S., Africa, and parts of Asia often require significantly longer times to access basic services.
“Our results revealed stark disparities in access to services, both within cities and between different regions, meaning that urban areas present a high level of inequality,” explained Loreto. He noted that areas with a high concentration of services tend to be more expensive, limiting access for those who cannot afford to live in them.
The researchers went beyond simply identifying disparities, using a relocation algorithm to explore how service redistribution could reduce inequalities. The algorithm simulated how an increase in services could affect a city’s accessibility and revealed that the “15-minute city” ideal might require more than simply improving transportation.
“We observe considerable differences between cities in terms of the minimum number of additional services required to fulfill the 15-minute city concept. Even more interesting, we observe that the very notion of a proximity-based city is not even conceivable in many cases, and a radically new paradigm has to be conceived,” said Loreto.
The study concludes that a time-based approach to urban planning is not enough. To achieve true inclusivity, cities need to consider local population densities, socioeconomic factors, and cultural aspects to create “value-based cities.” This calls for customized solutions rather than one-size-fits-all approaches.
“Building more equitable cities has vast advantages,” explained the researchers. “Better access to health care, education, culture, amenities, and the many opportunities cities offer as hubs of human creativity contribute to making us more engaged and informed global citizens.”
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