Paris. Image © Søren Bang Clemmesen
The 15-minute city urban theory receives the 2021 Obel Prize in recognition of the concept’s value for creating sustainable and people-centric urban environments. First coined in 2016 by Sorbonne professor Carlos Moreno, the term defines a highly flexible urban model that ensures all citizens can access daily needs within a 15-minute distance, thus breaking the hegemony of the car and reintroducing the qualities of historic cities within contemporary urban planning.