The awkward triangle
A leftover wedge of pavement where two streets meet, turned into a pocket square with one tree and a curved bench.
Where two streets meet at an angle they leave a triangle nobody uses. One tree for shade, a curved bench that follows the edge, and a little planting turn the offcut into the smallest possible public square.
The problem
The triangle is technically pavement but functionally nothing: too small to walk across, too exposed to stop in, so it collects parked scooters and litter.
The intervention
Plant one semi-mature tree for instant shade, wrap a curved timber bench around it, and add low planting along the kerb to hold the edge and slow the corner.
Who it serves
People waiting to cross, shopkeepers nearby, and anyone who needs to sit for a minute. A single tree changes the microclimate of the whole junction.
Social impact
Proof that leftover land is still public land. A square the size of a parking space gives a busy corner a place to pause and a reason to look up.
How we would measure it
Count people who sit or linger over a day, before and after. Record shade cover at noon. Track whether scooters and litter move on.
What it costs
An honest, itemised estimate — not a quote. Change a quantity to see how the total moves; the unit prices are our working figures.
| Item | Qty | Unit | Unit cost | Subtotal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semi-mature tree, pit and guard | tree | ₺4,200 | ₺4,200 | |
| Curved timber bench | bench | ₺5,200 | ₺5,200 | |
| Low planting and soil | set | ₺2,200 | ₺2,200 | |
| Paving repair and kerb | m2 | ₺280 | ₺2,800 | |
| Labour and install | job | ₺1,800 | ₺1,800 | |
| Estimated total | ₺16,200 | |||