Questioning Proximity. Opportunities and Challenges for Urban Planning and Mobility Policies

Proximity is an apparently undiscussable guiding concept for urban and mobility planning, addressing several urban planning experiences in the past. A new reformulation of the model—under the concept of a 15-minute city—is a popular reference for cities worldwide, thanks to the need for proximity, experienced during the pandemic and the related restrictive measures for individual mobility. Widely praised such a model, as a reference to adapt cities and metropolitan areas, mitigate their environmental impact, reduce existing inequalities, and promote local economic development, it raises some issues when considering proximity in different socio-spatial settings. The book intends to highlight several dimensions of the concept that may better frame the actual contribution of proximity in different places, challenging an acritical use of the proximity concept. The contributions in the book deal with the conditions required for ensuring accessibility by proximity, comparing a supply-based and functional approach that focuses on the selections of the daily services and amenities within defined travel time thresholds with a more place-based approach, and considers the different planning dimensions that may contribute to the promotion of accessibility by proximity.