Benarrabá has hosted since January the first prototype of the 'Tree Hub', an artificial tree with vegetation, wifi, and a screen that provides shade without needing soil. The Málaga-based company Biotonomy aims to bring green infrastructure to spaces where planting is not possible.
The Málaga municipality of Benarrabá has had a tree that did not grow from a seed since January. It has its own structure, vegetation, provides shade, has wifi connectivity, and even features a screen. It does not sink its roots into the ground and, when the time comes, can be relocated. It is the first prototype of Tree Hub, Biotonomy's initiative to bring green infrastructure to corners of towns and cities where planting a conventional tree is impossible, according to Diario Sur.
The idea arose after repeatedly encountering this problem. Biotonomy usually works with vertical gardens and green roofs to introduce vegetation into urban environments, but there were places that resisted: protected facades, completely paved squares, or areas where there simply was no available soil.
“We started to imagine a structure that could bring greenery and shade without needing either a facade or soil to plant,” explains Juan Ignacio Marín, the company’s Business Development Director.
The result ended up taking the form of a tree. Then came the technology, wifi, and other functionalities. The first one took root, albeit mobile ones, in Benarrabá. The choice of this small municipality in the Valle del Genal was not accidental. Marín highlights the commitment of its mayor to innovation and his willingness to turn the town into a testing ground for an initiative still in its initial phase. “We trust that it will be everywhere, but the first will always be in Benarrabá,” he points out.
The Tree Hub was initially installed in plaza Veracruz, although the Town Hall and residents have decided to find it another location. The reason is not particularly technological: many events and the town fair are held there. The relocation will free up that space and bring the structure closer to an area also linked to Benarrabá's effort to attract digital nomads.
Beyond its striking appearance, Biotonomy aims for the invention to function as a piece of urban furniture capable of industrialising green infrastructure. The company plans to manufacture modular units that can be replicated and adapted. The aspiration is that one day an architect can decide to place several Tree Hubs in a square or promenade just as they currently distribute benches, lampposts, or bins.
In Benarrabá, the most basic utility has been the one that has been best understood: shade. The square where the prototype was installed practically lacked it, and Marín assures that the elderly have been the most grateful. Young people noticed the screen and connectivity first. “When they were told it was the first in the world, an intelligent tree that had wifi, people were amazed,” he recalls about the excitement it generated in a village of around 500 inhabitants.
The winter in the mountains has also served as a particular test of endurance. The first unit was built from wood and arrived in Benarrabá in January, just in time to face episodes of rain and wind in the following months. Marín admits there were “several sleepless nights” worrying about whether the prototype would hold up, but the structure remains intact. Future versions will use more durable materials and be designed to withstand the conditions typical of any public space for decades.
The price is now another challenge. The first units cost around 120,000 euros for installation, plus about 500 euros monthly for maintenance with the platform included. The intention is to progressively reduce the manufacturing cost to even below 40,000 euros. Biotonomy's first goal is to install between ten and fifteen units over the next two years before seeking the support of a large manufacturer to enable mass production.
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