15 minutes from home - Unpacking methods and tools for proximities-driven development

As cities are facing the combined effects of the rapid urbanisation, climate change and housing crises, local governments must adopt more sustainable and transformative approaches to urban development, detaching themselves from previous exclusionary practices. Proximity-driven development promotes urban environments where residents can access to most of their daily needs within a short walking or cycling distance, fostering accessibility and reducing car dependency. Acting as a catalyst for change, proximity aims to improve residents’ quality of life, fostering social cohesion and environmental benefits. The Observatory of Sustainable Proximities (GOSP), a joint initiative between UN-Habitat, UCLG and Chaire ETI, has recently launched the Sustainable Proximities for High Quality of Societal Life guidelines, a global and integrated urban planning methodology for urban leaders and practitioners to promote proximity in cities and neighbourhood. Building on the knowledge and experience of the three partners, the methodology defines the overall process required for sustainable proximity transformation. The training intends to consolidate a shared understanding of the concept of sustainable proximities, building from the 6 social functions, the 7 principles and the indicators of the GOSP. Then, it unpacks the key steps required to integrate sustainable proximities in urban planning and design practices, following five strategic phases: Project inception, data-driven analysis, people-driven co-creation, action for implementation, and evaluation and mainstreaming. The methodology compiles several innovative tools that support practitioners throughout the urban planning process with qualitative and quantitative methods. For instance, the High Quality of Societal Life Index (HQSL) measures provision and distribution of services within a defined walking and cycling timeframe, using GIS tools. The Proximity Fresk is a creative and collaborative workshop to co-create urban solutions, responding to the territorial challenges and the citizens’ needs. Finally, the Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) leverages the proximity indicators framework to measure impact of urban projects and alignment with the global agendas. The training event starts with an introductory masterclass, followed by breakout interactive sessions to dive deeper and test the proximity tools. Participants then share their experience, reflecting on how to integrate proximity in their practice.