The concept of the 15-minute city has gained attention in urban planning recently, emphasizing the proximity and accessibility of essential services and amenities within a 15-minute walk or bike ride from home. However, planning interventions aimed at achieving the 15-minute city have been criticized for contributing to gentrification and displacement and focusing an “urban elite” who dwells in the central parts of the largest cities. This study contributes by examining the extent to which the 15-minute city is fulfilled beyond the largest cities. Our precise aim is to investigate the changes over 25 years in the proportion of the population that can access the 15-minute city in Sweden’s 100 largest cities, and how it varies by city characteristics such as density, land use mix, population size and growth. We also differentiate between various urban social functions to detail the parts of the 15-minute city that different cities offer. Official register data are used comprising the total population of individuals and workplaces in Sweden geocoded at a 100-meter level._x000D_
Preliminary results shows that the proportion of the population that can access the 15-minute city varies significantly between cities. Surprisingly, the larger cities in Sweden does not necessarily perform better than smaller cities. The proportion of the population that can access the 15-minute city is relatively stable over time. The analysis also reveals that the parts of the 15-minute city that different cities offer vary significantly by urban social functions. By examining the changes in the 15-minute city over time and its correlates, this study will contribute to a better understanding of the dynamics of urban development and the effectiveness of policies aimed at creating sustainable, livable cities beyond the larger metropolis.

Erik Elldér
Human geography, University of Gothenburg, Sweden

 
ID Abstract: 309