To preserve the quality of life in cities, heat must be limited. The Paris city council was forced to acknowledge this fact after successive summer heat waves, and decided to create five urban forests in the city.
Planting large trees in spaces made up entirely of concrete and steel is a challenge. Paris city council entrusted Arcadis with the project's feasibility study for three of the five sites selected.
Once the urban forests are created, Paris residents and visitors will be able to breathe cleaner air and have new green spaces in which to relax and cool off.
While the French capital is world-renowned for its rich architecture, it is often criticized for not providing enough green space for its inhabitants. Below the majestic Haussmann buildings, it is concrete that dominates and this predominance increases the temperature in the summer. Heat, absorbed during the day, is given off by sidewalks and roads at night.
In response to this and to cool the city down, Paris city council decided to create five urban forests in iconic locations in the French capital.
To turn Paris city council’s wish into a reality, Arcadis is carrying out studies and exploring all possible scenarios for the three of the five sites entrusted to it: the paved square of the Hôtel de Ville, the paved square of Euronext Paris, and Place Saint-Gervais located behind Hôtel de Ville, which will be the site of the future memorial of the Paris attacks.
The planting of urban forests in Paris will transform the city's appearance and allow its residents and visitors to take advantage of new green spaces in which to relax, have fun and cool off. In addition to being good for mental health and well-being, trees help reduce air pollution, so Parisians can breathe better-quality air.
Beyond mitigating the effects of global warming and boosting land biodiversity, this project for the creation of green spaces and decarbonization asserts a new urban paradigm, in favor of the quality of life of residents.
PROJECT STORY
