Green space indicators in multi-family residential development in Poland – tall vegetation

The aim of the article is to analyse green space indicators in multi-family residential developments with respect to their consideration of trees and shrubs, and to demonstrate the need to extend the current Polish regulations on green area size by introducing a volumetric factor associated with tall vegetation. The study is based on legal regulations and urban planning standards applicable in Poland from the end of World War II (1945) to the present, on ecological-spatial factors adopted in Europe and other countries in the 21st century, and on the literature on the design of residential development complexes. The analysis shows that tall vegetation is currently evaluated using a surface-based factor. However, theoretical concepts and good design practice indicate the need to consider tall vegetation in terms of its volume. Trees and shrubs should be treated as three-dimensional objects with defined size and form, shaping the perception of the surrounding space. Finally, the study points to the necessity of supplementing existing green space indicators with a volumetric factor related to tall vegetation.