No Randomness: The London plane tree
Image: Jeanette Teare.
“Have you seen the forecast? Sunny all week with temperatures reaching 40°C.”
“Well, we have to get used to it, don’t we?” —Two octogenarians sitting on a bench, in the shade of a London plane tree in the south of France.
Urban planning is like any other form of design, just on a larger scale. You need to understand the context in which spaces are used, and make pragmatic decisions accordingly. It’s about laying out the infrastructure of how people live, work and play: buildings, communication systems, transportation networks, roads, and even trees.
Have you ever looked at a London plane tree (platanus × acerifolia) and wondered why this species – which is so ugly in the winter after it has been pollarded (a severe pruning technique) – is so widely used in cities across the globe? London has them, obviously, but so too do Paris, New York and Sydney. Likewise, go to any village in southern France and you won’t find a single public square without a plane tree. Funnily enough, it will always have a bench beneath it.
There are simple reasons for this. The London plane provides shade – not just a little, but a lot. Its dense canopy makes it ideal for taking a break under on a sunny day. In addition, the plane tree has many characteristics that suit the requirements of a public square. Its branches sprout from high up its trunk, making it difficult for people to climb, for example. Meanwhile, the London plane’s fruit is comprised of bristly balls of seeds that are nothing like fleshy cherries or walnuts – fruits that rot when they fall onto pavements. Bar clearing away its fallen leaves in autumn, the London plane requires minimal maintenance. What’s more, its roots grow horizontally, helping it withstand pressure and compaction from roads and paving, and, in turn, ensuring it does little damage to this kind of infrastructure.
To put all this into perspective, just imagine how a Douglas fir would do in the city. A large area around its base would be inaccessible due to the tree’s low branches and its sap would stick to the hands of anyone who touched it, as well as attracting all sorts of insects. And it would provide minimal shade in return.
Just as industrial designers need to use the appropriate materials to ensure their product performs correctly, urban planners need to select the right trees to serve their city. When it comes to fitting the brief, the London plane is difficult to beat. So, next time you find yourself on a bench, calmly eating your sandwich or reading your latest copy of Disegno, take the time to appreciate the fact that you are sitting under a perfectly positioned and carefully chosen plane tree.
Words Oscar Lhermitte
Photograph Jeanette Teare
This article was originally published in Disegno #37. To buy the issue, or subscribe to the journal, please visit the online shop.