Chrono-urbanism and liveable urban forms: A morphological analysis of alternative x-minute city models in Rosetta City

X-minute city models, rooted in chrono-urbanism and isobenefit urbanism, emphasise equitable proximities to services. This article examines an assumption of alternative walking distance models (i.e. 2, 4, 6, and 8 minutes) through a morphological analysis of urban forms in Rosetta City, Egypt. The methods utilised included ESRI ArcGIS Pro, intersection density, block compactness, and space syntax to investigate how diverse urban forms affect temporal accessibility to services. The results reveal the city centre, characterised by its compact urban form, aligns with the x-minute city models. At the same time, peripheral zones face significant accessibility challenges due to low-density development, poor pedestrian infrastructure, and mono-functional land use. The findings present a six-pillar strategy to guide urban development, offering a framework for policymakers to examine x-minute cities through urban morphogenesis and context-specific walking thresholds. This research contributes to the broader discourse on liveable urban forms in cities with diverse urban morphogenesis. • Our study links urban morphogenesis with chrono-urbanism and isobenefit urbanism. • We test 2–8-minute walk to revisit the x-minute city models in Rosetta City, Egypt. • Morphological analysis utilised GIS, syntax, and density metrics for accessibility. • High service access in Rosetta's core reflects compact form and fine block grain. • A six-pillar strategy was proposed here for x-min cities via urban morphology lens.