It's an idea in urban planning to design neighborhoods where everything a resident needs- housing, groceries, schools, jobs, and amenities- all exist together in the space of a fifteen minute walk.
As the other responses said, yes, it's the same basic concept. But I think it's important to highlight that the idea of putting everything together in walking distance long predates the Soviet Union, and it's really just how cities were made for thousands of years before the invention of cars. Up until the 1930s, American cities and suburbs were built as 15 minute cities, and neighborhoods built at that time are often some of the most walkable neighborhoods today.
This. Even before the anti-15 minute city hysteria, affordability was always the stumbling block to walkable cities and neighborhoods. For years I've heard some variation of "I'd love to live in a place like this, but it's too expensive to rent/buy here."
Where I live there are some suburban areas that were built in the 1910's-20's. It is mostly single and duplex homes, but every few streets or so there's a largish commercial building on a corner that would have had a grocery, laundromat, barber/salon etc. We had this "15 minute city" shit figured out 100 years ago ffs.
Unfortunately most of these buildings are either vacant or were converted into houses years ago. Some of them are still used for their original intended purpose and people in the neighborhoods do walk to them.
I love how the Soviet concept differs from, say, Milton Keynes style box district planning by acknowledging the need for a central district for entertainment as well, where different districts can mix together.
It's an idea in urban planning to design neighborhoods where everything a resident needs- housing, groceries, schools, jobs, and amenities- all exist together in the space of a fifteen minute walk.
Thanks. So it's basically a rehashing of the Soviet microdistrict concept?
As the other responses said, yes, it's the same basic concept. But I think it's important to highlight that the idea of putting everything together in walking distance long predates the Soviet Union, and it's really just how cities were made for thousands of years before the invention of cars. Up until the 1930s, American cities and suburbs were built as 15 minute cities, and neighborhoods built at that time are often some of the most walkable neighborhoods today.
They’re also the most pricey
Capitalist irony drives me bonkers
This. Even before the anti-15 minute city hysteria, affordability was always the stumbling block to walkable cities and neighborhoods. For years I've heard some variation of "I'd love to live in a place like this, but it's too expensive to rent/buy here."
Where I live there are some suburban areas that were built in the 1910's-20's. It is mostly single and duplex homes, but every few streets or so there's a largish commercial building on a corner that would have had a grocery, laundromat, barber/salon etc. We had this "15 minute city" shit figured out 100 years ago ffs.
Unfortunately most of these buildings are either vacant or were converted into houses years ago. Some of them are still used for their original intended purpose and people in the neighborhoods do walk to them.
Yes. That makes it communism. Which makes it bad. Better dead than red!
Yes, same basic principle
I love how the Soviet concept differs from, say, Milton Keynes style box district planning by acknowledging the need for a central district for entertainment as well, where different districts can mix together.