The 15-minute city is the place to live, work, and play. This is the latest concept of urban development for people who do not want to live in suburbs where they have to spend time on the road to go anywhere.
A 15-Minute City features mixed-use buildings, recreation areas, and fast commutes, often by bicycle! It frequently revitalizes urban areas.
Cherry Creek West
This is the newest 15-Minute City planned for the Denver area for people who want to live in a community with instant access to work, shopping, and recreation. The mixed-use community celebrates the outdoors in true Colorado style. Mountain views from the buildings, along with a park along Cherry Creek are part of the recreational facilities in this community.
A car-free community is part of the planning. Everything will connect seamlessly so that the services people need are a bike ride or a short walk away. This includes bike and pedestrian pathways in place of city streets with traffic. Also, this community will be connected via pathways to downtown Denver, eliminating the need for vehicles.
Recreation
Cherry Creek West follows the pattern of outdoor space, an important aspect of the 15-Minute City. The concept is built around wellness and the importance of enjoying fresh air whenever possible. Outdoor living has always been part of the Front Range experience, along with most of Colorado.
Buildings in the community are designed to maximize natural light. The 13-acre community features 20,000 square feet of green space and a farmers market.
The nine-block community will also have mixed-use buildings for residential and office space. All buildings will be landscaped.
The community will be developed in an old parking lot area bordered by the Cherry Creek Shopping Center and Cherry Creek North Drive.
Basics of the 15-Minute City
The original concept of the 15-Minute City was designed for living, working, and enjoying the outdoors in one location with roughly 15-minute access to all services. It was also designed to transform older urban areas.
This includes:
- Offices
- Residences
- Shops
- Health care
- Restaurants and entertainment
- Educational facilities
- Outdoor recreation
Public transportation may be available around the edges of the community. Transportation inside the area is by feet or non-motorized vehicles such as bicycles. The idea is to eliminate the need for a car.
Carlos Moreno, from the Sorbonne Business School, developed this concept in France. His objective was to improve the quality of life by making everyday living simple and enjoyable. Fewer vehicles result in fewer emissions and traffic. According to Moreno, the rhythm of the city is based on people, not cars! The lifestyle is less stressful since all services are easy to access.
Outdoor recreational facilities, mainly parks, are an integral part of the plan.
Diversity and Density
The concept of mix-use buildings means that high-rise offices and residences are part of the plan. Yes, there is high density, but the convenience factor cannot be overstated.
Many people have found they can work remotely, at least part of the time. They prefer to live in an urban environment where services are easily accessible. This includes meeting with friends in nearby restaurants or recreational facilities. They don’t have to travel far to shop and children are in a school nearby. These people enjoy the outdoors, but they don’t necessarily need their own lawns and gardens.
The original concept was to have residential facilities and business space affordable for everyone. Developers would like to attract people to many different jobs.
Cherry Creek West will be an example of modern urban planning that promotes all the elements of a pleasant lifestyle in one very convenient location. The 15-Minute City will likely attract more people to the Denver area who want to enjoy urban living in a beautiful environment.