The designers at Superbloom worked with the 16th Street Mall (Denver) Improvement team to repurpose the existing trees into benches as part of the new Populus development nearby (designed by Studio Gang with the landscape by Superbloom).
The 16th Street Mall Improvement Project is a the 1.2 miles (1.9km) pedestrian mall renovation managed by the City and County of Denver and RTD and is expected to be completed by winter 2025. The existing trees (planted in 1982 as part of the original I.M. Pei design) were to be removed due to the extent of the renovation work that needed to be done, and transplanting the trees was not a feasible option [1]. Also, the mall development called for an increase in the variety of tree species to create a more resilient urban canopy suited to Denver’s climate. The question remained of what to do with the existing trees that were to be removed.
The design team carefully selected the trees with the intention of preserving their organic shapes, while also paying homage to their origins just a few blocks away.
Superbloom has given the trees a second life, transforming their trunks into benches that now offer public seating and contribute to the creation of a new form of communal space.
The custom-designed benches at Populus were crafted from honey locust trees that Superbloom helped salvage from the nearby 16th Street Mall.
Populus Benches
Location: Denver, Colorado, USA.
Landscape Architect: Superbloom
Bench Fabricators: Where Wood Meets Steel.
Photography: Superbloom unless otherwise captioned.
[1] 40-Year-Old Trees Disappearing on 16th Street Mall as Denver Celebrates Arbor Day – Westworld https://www.westword.com/news/denver-16th-street-mall-trees-replaced-arbor-day-16675085
