15 Minute Ajman

Proximity has always been a main factor in the valuation of houses by real estate providers. Being close to a train and metro station is one of those needed amenities. However, post-covid and driven by lockdowns in cities, citizens are perceiving proximity from a different angle. Proximity by means of nearby outdoor living spaces and activities reshaped through placemaking and availability of personal soft mobility options became a key.

The 15-minute city concept is an urban planning model developed by French-Colombian scientist Carlos Moreno whose central idea is that citizens can access their daily necessities by foot or by bike within 15-minutes. This concept has been implemented in several cities around the world.

Besides, 15 minutes city, an approach that can trace its roots back to the 60s, became much more cornerstone now in the development of human-centred smart cities. Covid-19 pandemic with its social distancing implications is reshaping the way we design cities and circular economy models are pushing for more sustainable urban districts which can reduce carbon footprint. Research also showed that during covid-19 pandemic, people focused their movements on local areas and simplified travel routes. According to the World Economic Forum, as climate change and global conflict cause shocks and stresses at faster intervals and increasing severity, the 15-minute city will become even more critical.

 
In the UAE, the Dubai Expo 2020 site (District 2020) and the city of Ajman are planned to become 15-minute cities with the latter having the goal of achieving this objective by 2030 in line with its 2030 sustainable development strategy. This will fullfill a vision of a multiscale network of 15-minute urban districts.