IN-PERSON Barcelona Livable Cities. Section A

Abstract

The livability of night communities remains an underexplored dimension in urban planning research, often overshadowed by a focus on daytime users or cultural consumers as the predominant nighttime users. This study addresses this gap by investigating the disparities in accessibility to various urban amenities between day and night populations, using the city of Milan as a case study. Leveraging a customized version of the open-source 15min City Score Toolkit, the research employs a GIS-based spatiotemporal analysis to estimate 15-minute access in hourly timeframes, relying on Point-of-Interest (POI) data from the Google Places API to create time-sensitive walkability maps based on the opening hours of services. The findings reveal notable differences in walkability potential across spatial and temporal dimensions, highlighting significant gaps in nighttime service availability. This research presents an innovation on the 15-minute city framework, illustrating how 24-hour urban rhythms influence accessibility and equity, and underscores the importance of integrating temporal considerations into urban livability metrics. This work contributes to broader discussions of livability by addressing themes of accessibility and equity within a dynamic reading of the city: as a spatio-temporal product. By centering on the overlooked needs of regular night urban communities, such as night workers, it challenges traditional notions of urban livability and emphasizes the importance of inclusive and adaptive urban planning strategies.