PROXIMITY- AND TRANSIT-BASED ACCESSIBILITY OF PUBLIC CATERING FACILITIES IN TASHKENT: INTEGRATING 15-MINUTE CITY METRICS WITH PUBLIC-SPACE QUALITY ASSESSMENT

Abstract

The location of public catering facilities is closely related to everyday mobility, public-space quality and neighborhood accessibility. In Tashkent, where urban growth, metro expansion, bus-corridor development and new public-space standards are shaping the future city, food-related services should be planned as part of a multimodal accessibility system. This article proposes a proximity- and transit-based accessibility model for public catering facilities. The method integrates the 15-minute city logic with public-space assessment indicators and differentiates between daily, periodic and city-level gastronomic demand. Three catchment scales are used: 400 m for immediate pedestrian access, 800 m for neighborhood walk-bike access and 1200 m for transit-linked access. The proposed Public Catering Accessibility Index combines walkability, public-transport connectivity, demand intensity, public-space quality, functional compatibility and seasonal adaptability. A pilot scenario demonstrates how different urban prototypes require different facility formats: central station areas are suitable for compact food courts and food streets; residential metro-adjacent neighborhoods require daily cafes and canteens; peripheral bus nodes need modular and phased formats; park edges require seasonal terraces and removable pavilions; and market streets support traditional and image-sensitive food clusters. The article contributes a decision matrix that translates accessibility indicators into architectural-planning recommendations. The model can be used by planners, architects and municipal authorities to avoid both undersupply in residential areas and excessive concentration in already congested central streets. Its practical value lies in supporting a balanced network of public catering facilities within the evolving Tashkent metropolitan system.