canoptree

Description

Trees are indispensable actors for cooling urban heat islands, as they lower the ambient temperature through evaporative cooling and shading. New plantings are an important measure for the long-term improvement of the urban climate. However, these effects only occur after decades, once a dense, spreading crown has formed. As long as the canopy of young trees is still sparse, their short-term effect remains low – a problem, given that the need for effective heat mitigation is already great today.

canoptree bridges this phase by supplementing the young canopy with a textile surface at the base of the crown. This creates noticeable shading where the natural effect alone is not yet sufficient. The design strengthens the tree as a central climate element and accompanies its development over years. As the tree grows and increasingly contributes to cooling itself, the supplementary element is gradually dismantled.