The Silva Cell can be used in a wide variety of tree and stormwater management projects and has been installed across the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia. For a comprehensive list, please visit our complete map of Silva Cell installations worldwide.
The case studies here showcase just a handful of these projects and demonstrate the Silva Cell’s utility and effectiveness in projects of varying complexity, scope, climate and soil type, and application. Click on the thumbnail images below to initiate a download, or click on the arrow icon to see the installation on YouTube. Please check back often for updates
The new hardscape plaza embraced Silva Cells as a method for supporting the 14 pin oak trees, which, thanks to their access to lightly compacted soil, are thriving and offering visitors a welcome outdoor green space (which has itself helped spur more local redevelopment).
The piazza outside First Direct Arena in Leeds includes a dozen trees supported by Silva Cells, which support the hardscapes while providing lightly compacted soil for healthy root growth.
East Midtown Greenway in Manhattan is a waterfront boardwalk utilizing Silva Cells in support of more than 50 trees and to perform LID stormwater treatment before runoff enters the East River
The iconic Battersea Power Station in London, after sitting idle for nearly four decades, was reopened as a new mixed-use development, complete with a “halo” of trees around its facility planted in the DeepRoot Silva Cell system for its uncompacted soil volume benefits
Trees planted in Silva Cells along the upgraded 61st Avenue Greenway in Calgary are displaying remarkable growth compared to their nearby tree-pit counterparts. The Silva Cell system is also performing stormwater treatment on the north side of the street, reducing peak-flow concerns and cleaning the runoff.
The DeepRoot Silva Cells were installed to provide an ideal soil-volume environment for tree root growth as well as serve as a resilient low-impact development (LID) stormwater-treatment tool on location.
Streetscape improvement project in Hull embraces Silva Cells throughout the town, providing soil volume to new hardscape trees.
Silva Cells are helping grow trees in new Seattle high-rise courtyard, built above an underground parking structure on both the flat-surface plaza and the stairs leading to the building entryway.
Silva Cells are supporting 36 new entryway trees with uncompacted soil, while also treating stormwater on location and keeping neighboring Hudson River clean
More than 650 trees have been planted in the Boulevard community of Dublin, California, in which 7,000+ Silva Cells are providing soil volume and at-source stormwater control benefits.
Built above an underground parking garage, Midtown Park in Houston installed Silva Cells for soil volume benefits for its new hardscape trees
Many lessons were learned from the first successful Silva Cell project, primarily the importance of soil volume in the success or failure of a city tree
New $79 million secondary school includes 20 shade trees in parking lot, installed in Silva Cells for soil volume and stormwater benefits
One of the biggest downtown renovation projects ever featured over 2,000 street trees planted in Silva Cells for healthy growth
New development in Calgary is building a green courtyard above an underground parking facility
First phase of ambitious $600 million Better Market Street project in Downtown San Francisco includes 32 new trees planted in Silva Cells
New multi-use development in Dallas Metro includes a central community park, complete with 50 trees planted in Silva Cells
Courtyard trees provide shady area for student and faculty gatherings
Over 3,000 Silva Cells were installed in West Central neighborhood, providing green on-location stormwater treatment while also supporting more than 60 new trees
Over 50 trees planted in new community park, providing trees planted in and around hardscapes robust soil volume
Award-winning garage project in Collins Park neighborhood of Miami Beach frames its streetscape with trees in Silva Cells
DeepRoot Silva Cells were installed to help nearly 50 new street trees access adequate soil volume, while also offering area stormwater treatment
A total of 70 Live Oak trees are providing shady on new “festival” road
One of the first Silva Cells projects in a parking lot with a stormwater application, proving the versatility of the system
North Vancouver retrofits Esplanade roadway with help from Silva Cells
Award-winning renovation includes parking lot trees to reduce heat island effect
Stormwater and soil volume benefits realized with Silva Cells in Downtown Edmonton
Over a decade-long partnership, DeepRoot and Maple Ridge have created an increasingly green, sustainable city
DeepRoot Silva Cells were installed to ensure the trees have access to quality, uncompacted soil volume for robust growth Overview The campus of the AT&T headquarters in downtown Dallas is a sprawling five-block area comprised of five different buildings, each with its own distinctive style and architecture. In an effort to bridge these various structures… More
Eight olive trees are flourishing in the Luskin Conference Center plaza, offering students and visitors a welcoming, shady gathering space Overview Officially opening its doors in October 2016, the Luskin Conference Center on the UCLA campus is a beacon of design and sustainability, winning LEED Platinum certification in 2017. An important element of the design… More
Turkey Lake Plaza installs over 1,800 Silva Cells to provide soil-volume and stormwater-treatment benefits to rest stop parking lot Overview In an effort to increase public safety, decrease maintenance costs, and provide more aesthetically pleasing and functional break locations, the state of Florida has begun work on an ambitious improvement plan to revitalize each stop… More
Seething Lane Garden, alongside the iconic 10 Trinity Square building, embraced DeepRoot Silva Cells for soil volume and water drainage benefits Overview Situated just west of 10 Trinity Square — a century-old building adjacent to the Tower of London and the River Thames — Seething Lane Garden is a “pocket park” with a rich history… More
Officially reopened to the public in late 2021, the Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo underwent an ambitious $33 million renovation initiative with accessibility, interactivity, and sustainability atop the project’s priority list. In addition to expanding and modernizing the zoo, the parking lot was also upgraded with green infrastructure, including eight new trees to provide visitors with welcoming shade on hot summer days.
As part of the Versatile Building condominium project in North Vancouver, the corner along 3rd Street and Lonsdale Avenue also received an upgraded sidewalk with ten new trees in 2013. To ensure city requirements for soil volume (10 cubic meters per tree) were met, the design team at Durante Kreuk specified the DeepRoot Silva Cell system; likewise, Vector Engineering led the project’s mandated stormwater detention and treatment element.
“We hope that this important example of strategic partnerships helps to shift how we think about housing and place-making in our urban communities.” -Janet Rosenberg, Project Landscape Architect Overview The design and installation of trees in the Alexandra Park housing revitalization project in Toronto, Ontario, exemplify the progressive thinking required to solve the often-complex obstacles… More
Bequeathed to the city of Miami Beach by the state in 2003, the stunning waterfront parcel of land between 76th and 77th Streets in the North Beach neighborhood began its transformation into a community-oriented, open-concept park called Altos Del Mar in 2014. In addition to the numerous park amenities — including a playground, walkways, retaining/sitting walls, an office/storage building, and irrigated landscaping — the design team at GSLA wanted to plant 14 new trees to complete the welcoming green space ambiance.
Situated along Dundas Street in the Old East Village neighborhood of London, Ontario, Queens Park underwent an upgrade in the summer of 2016. An expansive terrace was created between the Confederate Building and the park itself — complete with paved walking areas, planting strips, and visitor seating. The design team at Arthur Lierman Landscape Architecture also incorporated green infrastructure into their promenade plans: six new trees.
A two-phase upgrade project breaking ground in 2021, the streetscape improvements along Gallant Avenue in the Deep Cove neighborhood of North Vancouver made permanent a temporary outdoor space expansion initiated during the first months of the Covid-19 pandemic. From wider sidewalks to extended restaurant patios, the primary purpose of the renovation was to realign local traffic and utility patterns while also creating a more inviting, pedestrian-friendly outdoor space – complete with a series of newly planted street trees.
Four years after 252 2X Silva Cells were installed at High Gate at The Mile the trees are big and full enough to provide shade and pedestrian comfort.
Integrated trees and stormwater project breathes new life into formerly industrial stretch in San Marcos
Construction on the Denny Substation was completed in 2018. The uniquely designed substation, named after its host street, Denny Way, in Seattle has unique amenities that provide a vantage point for viewing the city, education and art spaces, and accessible areas for pedestrians and their pooches.
Arrive Hotel preserved its old architecture while enriching its future landscape with healthy trees and onsite stormwater management with Silva Cells.
1,300 Silva Cells help make tree health and urban forestry health central to a new sustainable development in North Bethesda, Maryland.
DeepRoot Silva Cells: 138 23 Trees 5,421 Cubic Feet of Soil Volume Awarded Project of the Year (Transportation-Streetscape Category) in 2019 by the Sacramento chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA), the Davis Third Street Gateway project is a testament to resilience and sustainability. In addition to improving the gateway’s aesthetic appeal with central… More
Contractor Eurova was able to use Silva Cell’s shortest option (1X) posts to “step over” existing utilities without breaking up the continuous soil volume trench for the street trees.
The Waterfront Toronto development consists of multiple green infrastructure projects across Toronto’s waterfront throughout 2010 to today. . This case study highlights four projects where Silva Cells were used to achieve Waterfront Toronto’s green infrastructure objectives.
The new construction project, Marriot International Headquarters and Hotel in Bethesda, Maryland hosts a slew of green infrastructure achievements. The 2.14-acre project site will manage stormwater, accommodate on-site green roof over a parking lot, and create a lush green space for pedestrians, with the support of DeepRoot Silva Cells.
The Santa Rosa Courthouse reunification is a long-awaited project that helped restore the city’s downtown square. The outdoor plaza serves as a destination for public events with 87 trees providing shade and green infrastructure.
The Lakeshore Road Reconstruction project includes a total of 1,633 DeepRoot Silva Cells, incorporating over 1,758m3 soil volume, 82 trees, a bike path, and an urban art aesthetic.
Originally a parking lot transformed into a 3.7-acre slice of green, in downtown Dallas, providing a welcome refuge for shade in urban heat.
The San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) is teaching by example, adding Silva Cells to its campuses.
5 ASLA awards and 3 sustainable design elements make the two USC projects green infrastructure champions
Innovative Storm Water Solutions employed through Silva Cell technology where runoff from the public streets at North City East is treated using median and curbside biofiltration facilities that incorporate underground detention modules for pollutant control, hydromodification, and 100-year peak flow migration.
Silva Cell adds lasting legacy supporting sustainable design in a new chapter of the Miami Beach Convention Center
– A $51 million-dollar project that took two years and two phases, incorporated 100 new palm trees into two new public parks with Silva Cells.
372 DeepRoot® Silva Cells® were used to support the intricate heavy pavers design in the plaza, along with 706 cubic feet of soil to enhance the growth and vitality of 9 Honey Locust trees.
42 Silva Cells, using approximately 1, 050 ft3 (30 m3) of soil, helped to create exponential growth in two Silver Linden (Tilia Tomentosa) trees on Greenwich Avenue.
Silva Cells helped the project meet its Green Standard Goals, managing 55% of the stormwater catchment area in a 6.47-hectare site, while ensuring the health of 300 newly planted trees with 30m3 soil volume each.
New Home development planted trees and installed Silva Cells to satisfy the regulatory need to adhere to California’s C3 stormwater requirements
Silva Cell brings unequivocal results, essential support, and B3 requirements to a 5 acre Catholic Charities campus.
The City of Del Mar Improves its Main Camino with Trees and Silva Cells; an integrated solution to promote stormwater and tree growth.
A 240-year-old market glows with resilient green infrastructure and people-centric design
The major transit and metro hub of Leeds City Centre, Headrow Gateway, has been renovated and rejuvenated with green infrastructure and sustainable transportation.
West Side waterfront prioritizes health of 96 trees with 36,000 ft3 of soil fill in a 5 acres of public space, sustaining the health nad urban green space at Waterline Square.
Eight trees each have 800 ft3 of soil and manage 1,600 gallons of stormwater at The Guild Lofts with 282 2X Silva Cells.
Liverpool’s famous The Strand, which runs past the historic Royal Albert Docks, benefits from a two-part urban renewal project that includes green infrastructure throughout its highly trafficked corridor.
Eye-catching results in an urban park within a children’s playground. 647ft3 (128m3) of soil volume in tree pits support seven trees throughout the past decade in the urban park.
A permanent public space reclaimed for the community of Washington Heights elevates large city space transformation via incorporating green infrastructure.
In 2016, a few blocks from the Stanford campus, in Palo Alto’s Evergreen Park district, a new multiuse building was constructed. The project included eight shade trees as part of the streetscape along the sidewalk on Sherman Avenue.
The trees along Eugene O’Neil and Green Street guide commuters and downtown visitors to from the large parking lot to the city’s fantastic waterfront and business community, serving professionals, boaters and tourists alike.
Chattanooga’s downtown was strengthened with green infrastructure in 2017 when 37 trees were planted as part of a renovated, 2-acre urban area redesign project.
Functioning utilities and healthy tree canopies are possible thanks to the ability of the soil cell systems and utilities to co-exist harmoniously. This is an excellent example of engineers and landscape architects working together to improve the public realm.
A five-year construction renewal project from 2010–2015 included the installation of 3,000 (2X and 3X) Silva Cells supporting the health of 70 trees.
17 trees that surround 128 luxury residence buildings covering the entire block at 777 C Street St Pennsylvania Ave. SE help to achieve principles of new urbanism, support neighborhood activity, and well-being, and harvest site stormwater in the historically significant neighborhood.
The trees, their support unit (Silva Cells), and the ability to cater to bikes, cars, pedestrians, and outdoor dining are just some of the long-term planning efforts that have made Bothell’s main thoroughfare attractive not just today but for the next 30, 40, and 50 years.
In 2021, a near 30-year-old vision to create a cohesive, connected, and safe thoroughfare came true for both Bear and Moose streets in Banff, Alberta.
Trees Planted With and Without Silva Cell in the same project highlights Silva Cell trees as bigger and fuller.
Large, native, live oak, kapok, and bald cypress rise majestically above the famous pedestrian mall, their shady native ecosystems offering an urban respite from the hot sun. The project won multiple awards in the years after its completion.
Silva Cell was the No. 1 choice to promote healthy tree growth and provide a safe pedestrian walkway and increase accessibility for all patrons.
Silva Cells supporting more than 30 trees on the ASU campus, and thousands of cubic feet of soil volume is an exciting step for ASU’s landscape architecture.
One of DeepRoot’s earliest Silva Cell projects involved Jim Urban, FASLA, and Drew Smith of Greenville, South Carolina.
A .5 mile stretch of the famous Monon Greenway running through Carmel, Indiana received an urban makeover in 2017. At the foundation of the reconstruction: 2,000 Silva Cells.
In 2008 a Sustainable Sidewalk Pilot Project was built on The Queensway using DeepRoot Silva Cells to create two underground bioretention areas supporting four trees. A decade later the results are stunning.
South East False Creek, in Vancouver, Canada has 80 trees that are thriving with over 7,000 Silva Cell units below ground.
The Lincoln Center Development Project (LCDP) had decided to renovate its beloved New York City landmark.
The Lincoln Center Development Project (LCDP) decided to renovate its beloved New York City landmark.
Landscaping codes that emphasize tree growth, shade, and the minimization of heat-island effect are increasingly taking hold around the twin cities region of Bloomington and Normal, Illinois.
An oasis of nine trees thrives below a bustling roundabout in Salford, U.K. Part of the Gateway Quays project, the Himalayan Birch (Betula Utilis Jacquemontii) trees are supported by 184 Silva Cells, providing over 47m3 of shared rooting volume.
Casey Trees is a Washington D.C.-based non-profit whose mission is to restore, enhance and protect the tree canopy of the nation’s capital.
Trinity Square in Middlesbrough has had a market at North Ormesby since 1874. But development over the years gradually led to the elimination of trees and other green space.
Stormwater management and attendant flooding and pollution are among the biggest challenges facing urban areas and other heavily paved environments.
Connecting Derby is a government funded integrated transport project that aims to improve transport links in and around the Derby city centre.
The open expanse of most car parks makes them unpleasant places in almost all weather conditions, whether howling wind or merciless sun.
The revitalization of Toronto’s waterfront is the largest urban redevelopment project currently underway in North America.
Big trees are defining landscape features, and communities form emotional attachaments to them If they are removed, people often want to see replacements right away.
The RAF Bomber Command Memorial in London’s Green Park is complemented by London Planes.
The trees and stone seats are 750 2x Silva Cells that have ample soil volume, exactly 700 ft3 each. The designers wanted the young, new trees to grow to similar sizes over the decades, therefore consistent amounts of shared soil volumes were implemented.
In 2011, landscape architecture firm CMG was approached by a large tech company to design the courtyard of their new headquarters in Menlo Park, CA.
Toronto has one of the most ambitious urban forestry plans in North America. They have set a goal of increasing their overall tree canopy from 17 percent to 40 percent.
Dortmund Square in Leeds City Centre has undergone a makeover adding 30 m3 of soil that will add longevity to the London Plane.
After 10 years, the work of GLS Landscape Architecture combined with 500ft3 of soil volume provided by DeepRoot’s Silva Cell, the trees and students are thriving.
The city of Derby has been in the midst of an ambitious urban regeneration project since 2003, a key aspect of which has been the development of a public realm strategy.
The Atlanta BeltLine is a comprehensive revitalization and mobility project powered by local citizens, civic leaders, and private partnerships.
The Cardinal Corridor is a gateway into the Ohio Expo Center and State Fairgrounds, a site that boasts more than one million square feet of event space and occupies more than 360 acres in the heart of Columbus.
2nd Avenue NW in Calgary, Alberta is a mixed-use street that runs through the Kensington neighborhood of the city.
The design of urban hardscape installations is challenging at the best of times in that it must address a host of concerns related to surrounding land uses or facilities.
Bainbridge Island is a small city located a 35-minute ferry ride from downtown Seattle in the heart of the Puget Sound.
In 2012 Dwr Cymru (Welsh Water) committed a £15 million investment in Llanelli and Gowerton to help alleviate the risk of flooding.
Downtown Fort Worth, Texas was a popular hangout for outlaws, cattleman, gamblers, cowboys, and many legendary names from the glory days of the Old West.
In January 2011, two live oak trees on the Auburn University campus were deliberately applied with an herbicide used to kill trees (Spike 80DF, also called tebuthiuron) in lethal amounts.
Below ground, the “swale” portion of the design removes pollutants and improves water quality, making it safe for the excess water to drain into the Mosquito Creek habitat and watershed.
The two preexisting squares at the Mississauga Civic Centre were connected in 2011 into a unified public space, anchored by raised-garden trees on the southwestern edge: 30 of them planted in Silva Cells, providing an optimal soil volume environment above the underground parking facility.
New York City Landmark shows exponential growth of 92 trees since the 2013 Siva Cell installation.
The Buckland area in Lymington, Hampshire is the site of impressive natural beauty, nestled between the seaside and partly covered by trees planted since the 18th century.
Authorized by Congress in 1996, the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial in Washington, DC is a groundbreaking project.
The City of Boulder is a vibrant town with a long history of smart growth, citizen driven investment in public spaces, and alternative transportation.
In 2012, the City of Regina, Saskatchewan launched a major renovation project within their downtown. A central feature of this renovation was the creation of a public square, called City Square.
The revitalization of Queens Quay, Toronto’s main waterfront street, stretches over 1.7km between Spadina Avenue and Bay Street.
City of Trees Manchester, in partnership with the University of Manchester, wanted to assess how trees and soil under paving could be used as a form of ultra-urban “green infrastructure” to improve water quality.
Since 2009, the City of Boise has implemented 28 Silva Cell projects to revitalize historic downtown in a healthy and sustainable way.
Sovereign Square is a gateway into a future City Park that will help transform Leeds into a healthier more attractive and ecologically diverse place.
San Jacinto Plaza in Rockwall, Texas, utilizes Silva Cells for soil volume, utility flexibility, and hardscape support
Central Parkway East is a low impact development (LID) retrofit streetscape project in Mississauga, Ontario.
In early 2016, Fayetteville, a city in the Coastal Plain region of North Carolina, began construction on its first green street.
In 2013, the city of Edmonton in Alberta, Canada began the process of revitalizing its downtown district known as The Quarters Downtown and improving drainage services throughout the neighborhood.
Soil. Stormwater. Sustainable Infrastructure.
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