By Paul Keursten (CEO, Workshop17)
South Africa’s current model of work is under pressure. Long commutes, congested business districts, and hours lost in traffic take a toll on well-being and productivity. A global shift is offering a practical alternative. The 15-Minute City is no longer an academic concept. It is a working urban model reshaping how people live, shop and work. For a country with sprawling cities and growing gridlock, it offers a way to rethink the geography of work.
What the 15-Minute City Offers
The idea is simple. Your office, gym, coffee shop and your child’s school sit within a 15-minute walk or cycle from your home. Daily needs are close by, cutting travel time and improving quality of life.
Urbanist Carlos Moreno introduced the concept, which gained global traction after Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo centred it in her 2020 re-election campaign. The model promotes neighbourhoods where workspaces, healthcare, retail, education and leisure sit within reach, reducing the need for long commutes and car dependence.
This approach restores balance, boosts community interaction and supports environmental goals. It also responds to the widespread shift in how people want to work.
Why the Current Workspace Model Falls Short
For many South Africans, commuting between suburbs and city centres steals time from family and limits productivity. The traditional office-first mindset assumes people must travel to work instead of placing work closer to communities.
Remote work proved flexibility works, but highlighted clear downsides. Isolation, blurred boundaries and the lack of professional community make fully remote work unsustainable for many. What emerged instead was a call for balance: workspaces close to home, paired with the freedom to choose when to use them.
A More Distributed Urban Future
The 15-Minute City model supports decentralised work infrastructure. Instead of funnelling professionals through a single CBD, it promotes multiple centres of activity across the city. Applied locally, this means situating professional infrastructure in residential areas and mixed-use zones.
City centres remain relevant, but they no longer need to be the default location for work. People gain genuine choices about where to work based on lifestyle and convenience.
How Neighbourhood Workspaces Change Daily Life
A neighbourhood-based workspace means you can attend a morning meeting, step home for lunch, and return for your afternoon tasks without losing hours to traffic. Startups can meet clients in professional settings without taking on costly long-term leases. Teams can collaborate in high-quality spaces without the stress of city travel.
Locations such as Newlands, Century City, Hyde Park Corner, Ballito and Muizenberg show this model in action. These nodes blend premium workspaces, residential living, retail, wellness and leisure into walkable districts. Workshop17 sites in these areas offer flexible workspace, high-grade facilities and close access to local amenities.
Convenience Without Compromise
Distributed workspace does not mean lower quality. When executed well, neighbourhood spaces offer the same design standards, technology, and services as CBD offices. Professionals gain the best of both worlds: a credible working environment that fits into daily routines.
A Responsible Step for the Environment
Reducing commute distances supports sustainability goals. Fewer long car trips mean lower emissions and improved air quality. The 15-Minute City aligns work and climate action through compact, walkable, human-centred neighbourhoods.
Boosting Local Economies and Community Life
Working closer to home keeps economic activity within neighbourhoods. Local shops, cafés, services and small businesses benefit. Community ties strengthen, and suburban areas develop more balanced and sustainable local economies.
Where South African Cities Go from Here
City centres remain cultural and economic anchors, but the future points to a more distributed model of work. South Africans want choice, flexibility and access. The 15-Minute City offers a framework that supports business growth, urban resilience and a stronger quality of life.
For business leaders, developers and planners, the only remaining question is whether they will act on the opportunity. The models exist. The demand is apparent. The next step is commitment.
