PlanTable, 2025 project rendering, Ecosistema Urbano
In the face of climate change, as urban spaces grow increasingly uninhabitable during summer heat waves, we must integrate immediate, tangible solutions into the public realm—interventions that lower temperatures and enhance quality of life for both humans and other species.
PlanTable provides a vital refuge—not only for people, but also for pollinators whose populations are threatened by rising temperatures and habitat loss. Conceived as a modular, scalable structure, it incorporates trees and pollinator-friendly plants to function as a plug-in biodiversity node within the city. It responds directly to the urgent need for accessible green space in Chinatown—Boston’s hottest neighborhood—and supports broader goals of climate justice and neighborhood resilience.
The installation hosts 16 trees and a diverse palette of perennial plants selected to attract pollinators. While temporary in form, its impact is designed to last: once the installation concludes, all vegetation will be distributed to community members, allowing its ecological and social benefits to continue growing over time.
Blending landscape architecture, horticulture, and art, PlanTable creates a welcoming space for people of all backgrounds to gather, exchange ideas, and reflect. Rooted in the spirit of Chinatown, it celebrates the neighborhood’s enduring culture of hospitality and inclusion.
The table also serves as a climate timeline, visualizing the rise in temperatures since 1870—the founding year of Chinatown. Highlighted bars mark the years when temperatures exceeded historical averages, revealing an accelerating trend that continues today.
PlanTable is both a statement and a solution—illuminating the city’s critical canopy gap while showing how nature can shape more equitable, inclusive, and resilient public spaces. It offers sanctuary and stands as a living example of how cities can adapt to sustain life in an era of climate crisis.
PlanTable is part of the Un-monument Initiative presented by Pao Arts Center, curated by Lani Asunción, in collaboration with the City of Boston Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture, and community partner The Greenway Conservancy. It is brought to you by a grant from the Mellon Foundation.
About Ecosistema Urbano
Ecosistema Urbano is an international architecture and urban design studio working across urban consultancy, public space assessment, and urban transformation processes. Our practice is rooted in the design of high-quality public spaces that enhance bioclimatic performance and ensure climatic comfort, adapting to a wide range of environmental conditions. In response to climate change, we embed resilient design principles into every project, combining immediate interventions with long-term strategies to promote more sustainable, livable, and adaptable urban environments. @ecosistemaurbano
About the Partner
The Greenway is a contemporary public park in the heart of Boston. The Greenway welcomes millions of visitors annually to gather, play, unwind, and explore. The Greenway Conservancy is the non-profit responsible for the management and care of The Greenway. The majority of the public park’s annual budget is generously provided by private sources.
The Greenway Conservancy Public Art Program brings innovative and contemporary art to Boston through free exhibitions that engage people in meaningful experiences and dialogue with art, each other, and the most pressing issues of our time. Past Greenway exhibitions can be viewed on the Conservancy’s website.
Project Supporters
This project is funded by the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture’s Un-monument initiative, supported by a grant from the Mellon Foundation.
