Document Type : Research article
Authors
Department of Urban Planning and Management, School of Urban Planning, College of Fine Arts, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
10.22059/jurbangeo.2026.405688.2130
Abstract
The dominance of car-centric approaches over recent decades has led to negative consequences, including traffic congestion, air pollution, and access inequality, resulting in a decline in urban quality of life. In response to these challenges, the X-Minute City (XMC) model has emerged as a transformative and human-centered approach to urban development, aiming to ensure access to urban services and amenities within appropriate temporal and spatial thresholds. It fosters more accessible, inclusive, and sustainable urban environments, with a focus on contextual and local conditions. Accordingly, this study analyzes the application of the XMC model in urban development, with a focus on District 22, the largest contiguous urban expansion adjacent to Tehran. This research adopts a qualitative methodology, utilizing thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with urban experts and managers. The results indicate that while urban development documents identify improved access to services and the realization of spatial justice as key objectives, a considerable gap exists between these intentions and actual policies and realities. The district faces serious issues, including spatial heterogeneity, non-human scale, lack of spatial attractiveness, car-centric development, insufficient pedestrian infrastructure, and weak public transportation. Therefore, recommendations for the practical application of the XMC model in District 22 of Tehran include emphasizing neighborhood-centered and walkable development, improving the physical and functional quality of urban spaces, controlling population density and urban loads in adherence to the detailed plan, and allocating land for service provision. These strategies are proposed at the planning, executive, and managerial levels to achieve inclusive and sustainable urban development.
Keywords
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