SPATIOTEMPO

The SPATIOTEMPO project explores how urban life is shaped not only by spatial factors but also by temporal ones. Time has long been an implicit part of urban design, yet its explicit integration into planning remains underdeveloped. The project foregrounds how temporal structures – such as daily rhythms, routines, and seasonal patterns – affect the accessibility and usability of urban environments. When urban planning focuses solely on spatial proximity and neglects time, it risks reinforcing social inequalities, as different groups have diverse and potentially conflicting time-related needs.

So far, spatio-temporal planning has played a minor role within the concept of the 15-minute City (15mC). While the 15mC emphasizes proximity, it often does so through a spatial lens yet overlooking time as a planning dimension. Although “time” features in its name, proximity is often understood as physical distance rather than temporal accessibility. SPATIOTEMPO aims to expand 15mCs by integrating urban rhythms and time-oriented strategies. At the heart of this effort is the recognition of temporal infrastructures – often invisible yet fundamental structures that govern how people navigate space and time differently.