THREE MILLION TREES PLANNED FOR ROME
05 Nov 2020
Bureau B+B plans on bringing new life to the urban fabric of Rome with three million trees – one for each inhabitant.
Architectural bureau Bureau B+B has proposed planting three million trees in Rome, in order to rejuvenate the city. As part of a long-term plan, the idea focuses on the tree being a cure for the urban streetscape.
“In a recent report by the Wuppertal Institute, Rome scored poorly in road safety, mobility management, and active mobility. it also scored below average in air quality and public transportation,” Bureau B+B explains. Alongside the development of natural environment of the city, the plan hopes to encourage a transition to new sustainable models. To ease into this new idea, architects have suggested slowly planting trees into current street profiles. To do this parking, among other uses, will be reduced so that each tree will take up an equal amount of space as the carpark. This create a more refreshed city while also providing a comfortable space for pedestrians.
“From a scientific viewpoint, any negative aspect of urbanization can be countered with the strategic integration of trees,” Bureau B+B continues. Planting more trees will not only improve people’s health and wellbeing , but it will reduce the heat island effect and, in case of flooding, retain runoff water in streets. The trees will interconnect all existing open spaces within a new larger green network.
The first phase of the long-term strategy is to start planting trees along the consular roads, which are fundamental connections between the inner city and the surrounding areas. Planting trees in this area, which is used mostly by cars, will improve air quality, reduce urban heat islands and mitigate flooding events.
“We understand how sensitive this change is in a city like Rome, where individual motorized transport is a part of people’s identity,” Bureau B+B says. In order to overcome this issue, architects have developed mock-up demonstrations as a way for inhabitants to truly experience the effect of the upcoming change before it happens.
All images courtesy of Bureau B+B