Disrupting traditional city building strategies with JOY. Co-author of The JOY Experiments.
While writing the new edition of The JOY Experiments, Scott Higgins and I had discussion about the name "the 15-minute city". We didn't like it because it used the language of efficiency - and a devotion to efficiency is what makes our cities so cold and segregated. Well that tiny discussion has led to this article. Don't get me wrong - I love the idea of smaller sub communities, I just don't think it should be about measuring distances and conveniences. Also a shout out to Ashleigh Crofts who is mentioned in this article and my partner in a 3rd place finish in a global 15-minute city design competition. #joyexperiments #citybuilding #15minutecity #urbanplanning #societalchange #urbandesign
If defining a space by assigning a temporal definition to it makes it more marketable, so be it. Since we can't "create" more time, marketing a space as efficiently constructed may help the public understand the value of time in a way that currently eludes them.
I am of fan of effectiveness. Efficiency is the nirvana of bureaucrats, or so it seems.
I enjoyed considering the urban edge portion and the opportunities or human encounters that present themselves by applying that concept through design.
Ashleigh Crofts
4mo
Well said, as always Paul! And thanks for the shout out!
pedestrianspace.org Urban & Community Resilience 🌱
4moInteresting perspective Paul Kalbfleisch! For me that ‘efficiency’ is a quality of life aspect & the author of the 15-minute city concept also regularly references quality of life which includes opportunities for social connectivity. When I heard about the 15-minute city concept I was living it & often remarked (having come from a car centric upbringing) how brilliant it was that I could get to everything I needed within a 15 minute walk. That ‘efficiency’ of distance & time has a tremendous impact on the quality of my day & being able to live well that locally is simply super practical. Cold & segregated to me would be the 45 minute to 2 hour car commute daily lifestyle that so many people inhabit. We can’t disregard the fact that most people plan their days by a schedule -work hours, school drop offs & pick ups, time it takes to do errands, make it to appointments. Knowing that I can make it to my child’s school, their extracurriculars, local shops etc on foot within a 15 minute walk is not ‘cold & strategic’ knowledge for me but rather liberating & reassuring. I do appreciate your reference to smaller city scales in this piece. Indeed this can offer us so much insight.