The 20 Minutes Neighborhood between Planning and Reality: Analytical Study of Al-Jumhuriya District (District 838 and Part of District 840)

Abstract

Urban areas have undergone many transformations such as urban population composition, the nature of the built environment (specially housing and transportation network), and urban land use, due to many factors, such as population growth, economic aspects, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. They changed people's perceptions about land uses, urban space and cities. This led to many urban problems. Based on the foregoing, the research led to vital discussions in urban planning through proximity, public places and accessibility to the basic urban function. Each person in the community deserves livable neighborhood, accessible for this daily base trip easily. Goals: Studying and evaluating a residential area within Baghdad by adopting the concept of a 20-minute neighborhood. The planning indicators for 20-minute neighborhoods (density, diversity, proximity) were tested based on a map of the status of the study area and a field survey and given the research objective of the importance of residents in assessing their neighborhoods, asking a sample of the community about the patterns of daily urban activity and how they use the neighborhood to show the extent, to which planning indicators (proximity, diversity, density) match the use of residents within the concept of a 20-minute neighborhood. Results: The results showed that the concept of a 20-minute neighborhood was achieved in the residential area when measuring the planning indicators (density, proximity, diversity). However, it did not reach the concept according to the opinion of the residents, as most of the daily activities were using cars and heading for services outside the neighborhood. When the sample was identified, the results showed that the gaps lie in the failure of services (transportation, education, social infrastructure, health, work) to meet the needs and requirements of the residents within the concept of a neighborhood for 20 minutes. Conclusions: The success of 20-minute neighborhood planning is not required by planning indicators and criteria. Its success depends on the actual use of neighborhood residents, and they are the only ones who recognize the success of the neighborhood or not.