Three decades have passed since Magdalena Abakanowicz presented her concept of Bois de Nanterre — Arboreal Architecture, in response to a call for a broader reflection on approaches to urban landscaping and a reinterpretation of the meaning and evolution of the Grand Axis in Paris. This paper analyses the work presented by the artist from an urban planning perspective. It shows how the rich and multi-layered metaphor for the 21st-century city, embodied in the concept of the Bois de Nanterre, offers a pioneering and radical lesson for addressing contemporary urban problems.