Athenscradle of European history, art and civilization, is a candidate to become the future smart city of Europe. A paradox? Not really if you think that, already about 2500 years ago, the Greek city was the protagonist of one extremely innovative solution in urban planning and military: the Long Walls (in ancient Greek: Μακρά Τείχη, Makrá Téiche) that connected the city to its port, ensuring a safe connection with the sea even in the event of a siege. It was Themistocles who convinced the Athenians to build a route of walls that connected the city center to Piraeus, which was in turn fortified and equipped with an arsenal for the construction and maintenance of the fleet, so that it was impossible to block the city and this could support a long siege.
Today, in those same territories, the Greeks are planning The Ellinikonwhich aims to be one of the largest and most ambitious projects of urban redevelopment in Europe: an initiative also focused on sustainability And smart living. Although, from what would seem from the information released so far, it is mainly dedicated to medium-high income groups of the population. A sustainable smart city, yes, but not for everyone: perhaps designed not for the “demo” (the people in Greek), but for “oi olighoi”, or rather the elite. Provided that the initiative goes through as it was initially thought.
Athens smart city: how it will be The Ellinikon
According to the creators, The Ellinikon will be located just 20 minutes from the center of Athens, its port and its airport. Over an area of 6 million square meters, 10 thousand housing solutions, hotels, shops and a park will be developed, as well as a wide range of congress, entertainment and tourist experiences. There will also be the largest European coastal park with 50 kilometers of cycle and pedestrian paths. The marina will host 400 berths, 3 hotels, casinos and shopping centers.
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Because The Ellinikon will be smart and sustainable
The project intends to revitalize the entire urban coast, promoting it Sustainable Development of the entire coastal area which extends for about 3.5 kilometers and includes the port area. One will also be made beach accessible to the public 1 kilometer long and The Riviera Galleria, a center dedicated to entertainment and luxury tourism. Spread over an area of 2 million square meters covered with lush vegetation and open to local and international visitors, The Ellinikon Park will be the largest coastal park in Europe, with a varied seasonal program and 50 kilometers of cycling and walking paths. It will be the first “smart” park in all of Greece with unlimited connection, an AR navigation system based on augmented reality and intelligent energy systems.
Technologically advanced infrastructures and design studied in detail are the characteristics that will unite all areas of The Ellinikon, from new generation transport network to hybrid and bioclimatic internal and external architectureat green facades designed to guarantee thermal insulation, the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions and constant air purification, up to the ecological sensors that will monitor the resilience of the coast. There will be no lack of development of this new, exciting destination that takes the concept of “living by the sea” and the lifestyle associated with it to a new level, including innovative services and infrastructures dedicated to sport and well-being.
The Ellinikon (source The Ellinikon Facebook)
Who is working on the smart city of Athens
The Ellinikon is developed by Lamda Development SA., a company engaged in the development of plans and investments in real estate and asset management based in Greece. In the past, he led some of the most ambitious projects in the country that led to the construction of shopping centers and entertainment centers, business and office centers, residential complexes and port areas.
“Lamda Development is planning a new city that will position Greece among the most avant-garde destinations for it smart living, sustainability and innovation at the service of the well-being of the community and of individual citizens ”he declared Odisseas Athanaiou, Chief Executive Officer of Lamda Development. “The Ellinikon will set a new standard for those who want to live, work and have fun by the sea. The Ellinikon Experience Center (look down) opens a window on this project which will have a great impact internationally, attract a huge volume of investment and create thousands of new jobs in Greece. The ambition is very strong: to show the future that awaits not only Greece, but the whole world ”.
Athens smart city: the park (Source: The Ellinikon FB)
The Ellinikon Experience Center: a center for an immersive experience in the future
The city of the future can already be visited inside The Ellinikon Experience Center, a visitor center designed to offer an immersive experience of all the elements that compose it. Built on an area of 4,800 square meters, inside a former hangar proclaimed a Modern Monument by the Greek Ministry of Culture, the Experience Center comprises five thematic areas – Living a New Era, Living in Nature, Living the Future, Living Smart and Living by the Sea – and over 22 exhibits describing the development of the area.
Living in New Era allows visitors to immerse themselves in the project as a whole through the largest interactive model ever made in Greece. Made in 1: 625 scale with over 25,000 pieces, it recreates the green spaces, the futuristic design, the development along the coast, the infrastructures and even the individual streets and cycle paths of the new district down to the finest detail.
Thanks to the simulator installed inside Living by the Sea you can get on board a virtual motorboat to observe the results of the recovery work of the coast, the beach and the Marina from a privileged point of view, or enjoy a preview of the panoramic view of the park and the coastal area offered by four different areas of The Ellinikon.
Living in Nature is the area dedicated to the discovery of The Ellinikon Park, to be explored with a virtual bike tour, pedaling along a selection of trails under construction. The exhibition space also contains The Botanical Library, a botanical library that catalogs and exhibits all the species prevalent within the park, while The Night Garden Dome simulates nightlife through sounds, lights and scents that faithfully replicate the real experience. .