Project Summary

PROJECT SUMMARY

AccessCity4All, DUT 2022 CALL, TÜBİTAK MULTIPLE COOPERATION PROJECT
January 2024 – December 2026

The greatest societal challenges of sustainable transitions are experienced in cities. From an urban planning perspective, the 15-minute city concept is the most promising for promoting a sustainable urban transition in European cities. The concept is based on the calculated potential accessibility of people to basic services in their neighborhoods. This constitutes an objective yet simple basis for a locally specific urban planning practice. AccessCity4All defines the 15-minute city concept by acknowledging residents’ perceived accessibility and the accessibility achieved in certain neighborhoods. Therefore, it focuses on supporting active mobility in different urban environments for people with different needs and abilities.

The project has been submitted and accepted within the scope of DUT (Driving Urban Transitions) in partnership with the Austrian Academy of Sciences (Austria), ILS Research gGmbH (ILS) (Germany), University of Groningen (Netherlands), University of Lisbon (Portugal) and Gazi University (Türkiye). In summary, a mixed-method research approach will be applied in five Urban Living Labs (ULL) located in Portugal, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, and Türkiye. The cities/regions to be examined are Vienna/AT, Münster/DE, Groningen/NL, Lisbon/PT, and Ankara/TR. The project’s collaborative partners in Türkiye are Çankaya Municipality (Ankara) and Keçiören Municipality (Ankara). The mixed-method approach includes calculating accessibility at the city level, organizing stakeholder workshops, conducting Walk-Along Interviews (WAI) in 10 neighborhoods, and carrying out Public Participation GIS (PPGIS) research in 50 neighborhoods in different urban contexts. In total, AccessCity4All will cover 50,000 (fifty thousand) residents in five European cities.

As its most important innovation area (IA), AccessCity4All focuses on adapting the 15-minute city concept to the diversity of accessibility needs in urban populations and the variety of urban forms in Europe. Based on an empirical study integrating calculated accessibility measures with information on perceived and calculated accessibility, an actionable, human-centered, and locally specific conceptualization of the 15-minute city will be presented. This approach enables the identification of mismatches between calculated, perceived, and achieved “15-minute” neighborhoods. The study will examine the actual mobility patterns, accessibility needs, and perceptions of different population groups. This information will be used to define neighborhood-level accessibility measures that are sensitive to different population groups and urban forms. This, in turn, will lead to better and more accurate modeling of service accessibility across European cities and will help implement accessibility-based planning concepts for active, healthy, and inclusive neighborhoods. Thus, AccessCity4All clearly states its aim to contribute to the realization of sustainable planning in line with the DNSH principles corresponding to Paragraph 17 of EU Regulation No. 2020/852. Based on these objectives, the project seeks to answer the following overarching research question:

“How can the 15-minute city concept be adapted to support the transition to active mobility for different groups living in neighborhoods with varying accessibility levels, from city centers to suburban areas?”

In addition to this main question, the project also seeks answers to the following questions:

1. What is the current state of accessibility planning in practice in cities with different characteristics?
   a) What are the current planning practices and strategies for improving accessibility in neighborhoods with low service provision?
   b) From the perspective of planning practice and policymaking, what are the challenges and opportunities in implementing the 15-minute city concept?

2. Considering the perceptions and needs of different population groups living in different neighborhoods, how can the definition and measurement of accessibility be developed through active transportation modes?
   a) How do calculated, achieved, and perceived accessibility via active transportation modes differ between settled groups and various urban neighborhoods?
   b) What factors influence the mismatches between calculated, achieved, and perceived accessibility via active transportation modes?
   c) How can this information be incorporated into existing accessibility metrics to improve accessibility analysis?

3. How can the 15-minute city concept be adapted to neighborhoods with different accessibility levels?
   a) How can the adapted 15-minute city concept help identify different types of 15-minute neighborhoods for different population groups living in various urban environments?
   b) What measures should be taken to implement the 15-minute city concept for urban neighborhoods with different accessibility levels?
   c) What innovations in urban planning procedures and tools will facilitate the realization of an adapted 15-minute city concept?

To answer these research questions, an Urban Living Lab (ULL) approach will be implemented in five European cities/regions. In the Turkish examples, one neighborhood from Çankaya (Ankara) and one from Keçiören (Ankara) with disadvantaged groups will be selected with the support of the municipalities, and Walk-Along Interviews (WAI) and Public Participation GIS (PPGIS) will be implemented there. Each ULL will combine a place-specific, empirical framework with large-scale digital participatory mapping methods (PPGIS) and in-depth qualitative methods (e.g., WAI), as well as co-creative workshops with other stakeholders.

• Walk-Along Interviews (WAI) are part of qualitative methods. They are based on social and geographical research and help explore socio-spatial perceptions and concrete spatial experiences during an on-the-move interview. In this way, they offer the opportunity for personal exchange about experiences, perceptions, and emotions in the field (Kusenbach 2003; Stals et al. 2014; Sommer & Töppel 2021). WAI is a valid and practical method for collecting rich, detailed, and multi-sensory data through interviews, photographs, observation notes, etc. (King & Woodroffe 2017). In the project, WAI will be used to include opinions and demands regarding the discussion and further development of concepts related to proximity and accessibility also outside city centers. The results will also be used as input for PPGIS and will cover issues related to vulnerable groups.

• Public Participation GIS (PPGIS) are advanced participatory mapping tools that enable the collection of place-based data produced by local people (Brown & Kyttä, 2014). The PPGIS methodology allows for large-scale participation of residents and the analysis of place-based “soft” geographic information (such as individuals’ needs and perceptions, mobility patterns, abilities, and opportunities) together with institutional geospatial data to link user knowledge and needs. In the context of the 15-minute city, PPGIS tools provide place-based information about local residents’ spatial practices and perceptions of their living environments, including perceived accessibility of services and amenities. Their use allows us to gather information about the services needed for different resident groups living in neighborhoods with varying calculated accessibility levels (e.g., neighborhoods within the city, neighborhoods located on the periphery). This information will be used to investigate the mismatches between widely calculated accessibility metrics, perceived and achieved accessibility, and the socio-demographic and built environmental factors that may influence these mismatches.

The information obtained in the study will be used to update the understanding of the 15-minute city concept and to make the concept functional for different urban contexts. The project also aims to further develop and improve existing methodologies related to key aspects of calculated, achieved, and perceived accessibility, with a focus on the 15-minute city concept.