Athens- Inner-urban landscapes

The current transformation of European cities occurs against the backdrop of successive waves of crises and is paralleled by the growing awareness of the adverse effects of prevailing forms of urbanisation and production, as well as the search for alternative trajectories. Athens is a city where some of the big future challenges crystallise. At the same time, it offers unique qualities that could open up new potentials and pathways towards different futures. In the “Transformation of Inner-Urban Landscapes” (IUL) research project we seek to engage with some of the fundamental questions of urban transformation, using Athens as a case and the inner-urban landscape as a conceptual lens. We combine interdisciplinary research with design teaching, while working towards the establishment of an open network of collaboration and exchange. Key events of the project include a round table (December 2021), design studios (2019/20 in Athens), international student workshop (Athens 2022), public debate (Athens 2022), student magazine (issues 2020 and 2022), research workshop (Athens 2022), book publication (scheduled for 2023).

The research project started in 2019 and is organised in collaboration with the Faculty of Architecture at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) and in affiliation with the Gennadius Library of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. The project is supported by the Schwarz Foundation in Munich and Athens.

Project team: Tasos Roidis, Norbert Kling, Mark Michaeli