by InTrieste
As southern Europe continues to experience increasingly frequent and intense summer heat waves, the city of Trieste has announced an initiative aimed at reducing urban heat in some of its busiest historic squares without altering their protected architecture.
Mayor Roberto Dipiazza and Michele Babuder, the city’s councilor for territorial policies, presented the project Thursday in Piazza Venezia. The plan calls for the installation of large, permanent wooden-and-steel planters containing specially trained plane trees that will provide shade in areas where planting trees directly into the ground is not possible.
The installations are designed to create pockets of natural cooling in Piazza Venezia, Piazza della Borsa and Piazza del Ponterosso — three central public spaces that receive heavy pedestrian traffic but offer little shade during the hottest months.
City officials said the project responds to rising temperatures and longer periods of extreme heat that have become increasingly common in recent years. Beyond providing relief for residents and visitors, the trees are also intended to enhance the appearance of public spaces by screening features such as waste collection points and parking areas.
The planters, measuring roughly 1.2 meters square, combine anthracite-gray steel with Ipê hardwood to complement the city’s historic urban landscape. Inside, an insulated planting system is designed to protect the trees’ roots from extreme temperatures while improving drainage and water retention.
Each planter will house a Platanus × acerifolia, or London plane tree, a species long established in Trieste and valued for its tolerance of pollution and drought. The trees, approximately 2.5 meters tall, have been pruned into broad, flat canopies intended to maximize the amount of shade cast onto surrounding pavements.
According to the city, the locations were selected following landscape studies intended to preserve views of historic buildings, monuments and public sculptures. The project also received approval from Italy’s cultural heritage authority, whose authorization is required for interventions in protected historic areas.
Installation is expected to be completed within the first 20 days of a 120-day contract, allowing the shaded areas to become available before the end of the summer season. The remaining period will be dedicated to maintenance and botanical monitoring to ensure the trees establish successfully.
The contract, valued at approximately €49,500, was awarded to the Trieste-based landscape design firm Arbolè Studio del Paesaggio.
Speaking at the presentation, Mayor Dipiazza said previous attempts to introduce traditional tree planting in Piazza della Borsa had been rejected because of heritage restrictions. He described the new planter-based approach as a practical alternative that could help the city adapt to the effects of climate change.
Babuder called the initiative the first installation of mobile trees in Trieste and said it was financed in part through revenues from the city’s tourist tax. He added that the three locations represent an initial phase and that the municipality intends to expand the program to other parts of the city next year if the project proves successful.
