Trees That Shape Cities

Event Information

Judith will talk about the role trees play in contemporary city planning and in the day to day work of architects, landscape architects and urban planners. She will talk about how trees shape London and how London has shaped its tree spaces, from 1500 to today.

She will focus on issues like flooding using examples from the Victoria Embankment to the Sustainable Urban Drainage Schemes around the Moselle to the beavers in Whitewebbs Park. Another focus will be tree spaces near the City of London, from Arnold Circus to the Christmas tree at Trafalgar Square, and from the Thickets outside Thames Modern to Ada Salters Beautification and Gartenstadt ambitions in Bermondsey.

The session is delivered with the support of Age UK City of London.

Contributors

About Judith
Judith Lösing is an architect, gardener and writer. She is a director at East, ap practice know for their patient and innovative work in the public realm.  In 2025 Judith published her first book, the London Arboretum, the  result of a research fellowship with the Architecture Foundation on the role of trees. Leading up the publication , she organised a series of tree talks in the Barbican and Garden Museum, exploring issues around local production and care, trees and Monday and trespassing - trees and protest. 

About the London Arboretum

London is a forest, home to more than 8 million trees, one for every Londoner. Yet it rarely feels that way.

In this provocative and timely book, Judith argues, alongside other architects, ecologists, artists and activists that trees deserve a more central role in the city's design—not as decorative afterthoughts or technical fixes, but as spatial and cultural protagonists.

From the ancient woodland of Epping Forest to a community orchard in Hackney and the annual Norwegian Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square, the book guides readers through 26 archetypal tree spaces, using social history, photography, and original drawings to reveal the stories rooted within them. 

Funded by

City of London

This programme is supported by the City of London Corporation, whose funding enables the development and delivery of inclusive cultural, environmental, and wellbeing activities across the City of London. Their support helps bring nature-based engagement, creative programming, and community participation into the heart of the City, ensuring that residents, workers, and underrepresented groups can access high-quality experiences that promote wellbeing, connection, and a greater understanding of the urban environment.

Location

Location: Golden Lane Community Centre, Fann Street EC1Y 0SA. 

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Who: This event is sponsored by City of London and is open to residents who live in or have a connection to the City of London.