Design Your Perfect Green Space
The app is designed to simplify urban green space planning by automating tree placement based on specific criteria. Whether you’re working in Milan or Barcelona, the app accounts for local climate conditions, available space, and water needs to help you choose the best trees for your project. Here’s how the app works and how it helps you create sustainable and efficient green spaces.
Step 1: Plot Segmentation & Point Assignment
First, the app divides your plot into manageable sections and assigns points where trees can be placed. This segmentation process ensures that:
- Each tree has adequate space for optimal growth, both above ground (canopy) and below ground (roots).
- Tree placement maximizes shade, aesthetic appeal, and environmental benefits.
- The distance between trees respects their individual space requirements, preventing overcrowding.
This grid-based approach helps us plan your green space efficiently, ensuring a structured layout that aligns with the app’s guidelines for tree spacing.
Step 2: Tree Selection Based on Environmental Factors
Once the points are established, the app analyzes the plot’s environmental conditions—climate, sunlight, and water availability—and suggests trees that are best suited for the space. Key factors include:
- Tree size: Canopy spread, root depth, and height—ensuring that trees fit within the designated spaces and do not crowd one another.
- Water needs: Some trees are drought-resistant, while others require regular watering, making water efficiency a critical factor.
- Climate adaptability: Trees that are either tolerant to the humid, cooler conditions of Milan or the hot, dry climate of Barcelona.
Based on these factors, the app recommends the most suitable species for each type of green space.
Trees for Milan and Barcelona: Adaptability to Climate & Urban Conditions
Milan’s continental climate and Barcelona’s Mediterranean climate present unique challenges for tree selection. Our app suggests trees that are well-suited to these regions, ensuring a combination of aesthetic appeal, functionality, and environmental benefits.
Shade Trees
Shade trees provide extensive canopy cover, reducing urban heat islands and offering cool spaces during hot summer months.
- Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum): A deciduous tree with a large canopy, ideal for providing shade in urban parks and streets. It thrives in both Milan’s cooler climate and Barcelona’s warmer environment.
- Small-Leaved Lime (Tilia cordata): Known for its fragrant flowers, it provides excellent shade and is resistant to urban pollution. Suitable for both cities.
- Cork Oak (Quercus suber): A drought-resistant evergreen, the Cork Oak’s dense canopy offers shade year-round, making it well-suited for both Mediterranean and continental climates.
Decorative Trees
Decorative trees add beauty to urban spaces, offering seasonal colors or striking flowers.
- Norway Maple (Acer platanoides): Valued for its brilliant autumn foliage, this tree’s colorful leaves are a key asset in urban landscapes, making it suitable for both Milan’s continental climate and Barcelona’s Mediterranean environment.
- European Beech (Fagus sylvatica): A tall, elegant tree with smooth gray bark and bright autumn colors. It thrives in both cities, offering year-round aesthetic value.
- Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia): Known for its stunning purple flowers, Jacaranda thrives in Barcelona’s warm, dry climate but can also adapt to Milan’s seasonal variations with the right care.
Drought-Resistant Trees
These species can withstand dry conditions, making them ideal for areas with limited water supply or seasonal droughts.
- Aleppo Pine (Pinus halepensis): This Mediterranean tree is extremely drought-tolerant, thriving in dry, sandy soils. It’s a perfect fit for Barcelona’s climate and can adapt to Milan’s occasional dry periods.
- London Plane (Platanus × hispanica): This large, resilient tree is able to handle drought while also being tolerant of air pollution, making it ideal for urban environments in both cities.
- Blue Gum Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus): A fast-growing, drought-tolerant tree with aromatic leaves, ideal for Barcelona’s hot, dry summers, though it can be planted in Milan with proper care.
Urban Trees
Urban trees must be able to tolerate harsh conditions, such as air pollution, compacted soil, and restricted root space, while providing aesthetic value and environmental benefits.
- Norway Maple (Acer platanoides): A hardy tree perfect for urban areas, able to handle compacted soil and pollution. It is suitable for Milan’s streetscapes and urban settings.
- European Beech (Fagus sylvatica): This elegant tree is perfect for city avenues, providing structure and greenery while being tolerant of the stresses associated with urban life.
- Cork Oak (Quercus suber): A hardy and evergreen tree, the Cork Oak is perfect for both Milan and Barcelona’s urban landscapes, offering year-round shade and enhancing biodiversity.
Step 3: Explore and Discover
After the trees are selected and placed, the app provides detailed information about each tree’s characteristics:
- Maximum height, canopy size, and root depth.
- Whether the tree is deciduous or evergreen.
- Water requirements and suitability for the local climate.
- Sunlight preferences, from full sun to partial shade.
You can click on any tree to reveal its full details, making it easy to understand how each tree will perform in your selected space.
Your Green Space, Your Choice
The app makes designing green spaces straightforward. By considering the local climate, the size and type of your plot, and the specific needs of each tree, the app ensures that your design is both beautiful and functional.
You can check the App following this link https://datamgmt25.iaac.net
