Street and city
Tree pit
aceraplazaparkingboulevard
A pit or enclosure at the foot of the tree that leaves soil uncovered so water and air can reach the roots.
What it solves
It lets the street tree breathe and drink in the middle of the pavement. In the tropics it receives the water of downpours and carries it to the roots instead of sending it to the storm drain.
Today
Give the tree much more soil than can be seen, with continuous pits or soil cells under the pavement that prevent compaction. Finish it flush with a grate or planted soil so no one trips.
Common mistake
Making a half-meter square surrounded by concrete that suffocates the roots and leaves a dangerous hole for pedestrians.
Tomorrow
Tree pits can be joined into continuous strips that intentionally receive water from the street. More open soil around the trunk means healthy roots and fewer lifted sidewalks.
Fact A tree with a crown about 9 m in diameter needs on the order of 40 m³ of usable soil.
Where it comes from
- 1Andalusian Arabic al-Andalus, Middle Ages
The Spanish word alcorque comes from the Andalusian Arabic alqúrq and names the hollow at the foot of plants that holds irrigation water.
See also
Also in Street and city
Diagrams and texts by LDB Arquitectura. They are shared under the CC BY 4.0 license, which allows them to be used and adapted with credit to the source.