Brooklyn, New York
In Brooklyn, New York, a public space project designed by Field Operations set out to accomplish something more nuanced than surface-level aesthetics. The goal was to build a permeable paving system for tree belt applications that could genuinely support root zone health, endure heavy pedestrian traffic, and reduce the urban hardscape’s reliance on oversized tree grates. By specifying the full ROMEX RSG system with D1 jointing across an estimated 3,500 to 4,000 square feet, the project team delivered a high-performance solution that expanded usable public space while keeping the trees at the center of the design.
PRODUCT SELECTION
The ROMEX RSG system, comprising ROMEX TRASS BED permeable bedding mortar, ROMEX ADHESION ELUTRIANT bond bridge, and ROMEX D1 commercial resin jointing, was selected for its ability to meet the technical and design demands of a busy urban public space simultaneously.
D1 is a two-component resin jointing mortar engineered specifically for plazas and light to medium traffic loads. Its self-compacting formulation allows it to move efficiently into joints, creating a durable, weed-resistant, and pressure-washer-safe surface without sacrificing permeability. For traffic loads up to 7.5 tonnes standalone, and up to 40 tonnes when paired with the RSG system, D1 provides the structural reliability required for public-facing installations where failure is not an option.
What made the RSG system the right call here was its compatibility with tree belt conditions. TRASS BED creates a permeable mortar bed that allows water infiltration through the full paving assembly, ensuring the root zone continues to receive moisture even as the surface above it handles constant foot traffic. ADHESION ELUTRIANT serves as the bond bridge between the bedding layer and paver, completing a system that is bonded, frost-resistant, and eligible for ROMEX’s 10-year system warranty. This is not a product chosen for convenience. It was chosen because the project could not afford to compromise on permeability while delivering a surface that would hold up over time.
PROJECT LOCATION
The project was completed in Brooklyn, New York, in 2023. Installed by Let It Grow for client Two Trees Development, with landscape architecture led by Field Operations, the installation covers an estimated 3,500 to 4,000 square feet of public space. Brooklyn’s urban environment presents demanding conditions for hardscape systems: high pedestrian volumes, variable freeze-thaw cycles, and a built environment where stormwater management and tree canopy preservation are growing priorities for developers, designers, and city planners alike. The site sits within a context where the quality of public space directly shapes how people experience the surrounding development, and where long-term performance matters as much as first impressions.
PROJECT NEEDS
finished appearance consistent with the quality of the surrounding development.
PROJECT SOLUTION
The ROMEX RSG system with D1 jointing addressed both demands directly. By bonding the pavers through a fully permeable assembly, including the bedding mortar, bond bridge, and jointing layer, the system allowed water to move through the surface and into the root zone across the entire 3,500 to 4,000 square foot installation. There was no need to rely on a large tree grate footprint to define the permeable zone. The permeable zone was the entire surface.
This gave Field Operations the ability to reduce the traditional tree grate area typically required in a tree belt design and convert that space into usable public realm. In a dense urban environment like Brooklyn, where every square foot of public space carries weight in terms of how people gather, move, and experience a place, that shift is meaningful. It reflects a broader design philosophy that ROMEX systems are well suited to support: the idea that hardscape infrastructure does not have to be a compromise between function and livability.
The result was a cohesive, high-performance surface that supports ongoing tree health through consistent root zone hydration, handles the realities of public use without maintenance concerns, and contributes to a public space that works better for the people it was designed to serve. Let It Grow‘s installation demonstrated that when the right system is specified from the start, a tree belt application can do more than protect a tree. It can reshape how the public space around it functions.
Permeable paving system for tree belt applications
Brooklyn, New York
2023
Commercial
