Brave New Axis
Axis, an imaginary line that connects, divides, shaping space and movement. Its points hold unseen multiplicities—if they change, does the whole transform? With this begins an enquiry, a project redefining a strict 19th-century line, that comes to delineate the anarchic ancient form of Athens.
Athens' 1833 plan imposed neoclassical order on its medieval fabric. A monumental axis running east to west, accommodating civic and private uses, gradually dissolved into a linear urban zone. A pivotal zone that links four urban mosaics, a sequence of urban voids-points concealing a lost linear path. Yet, the city itself has rejected the classical notion of the axis. A new approach is needed—one that redefines this path, not as a rigid line, but as a series of dynamic points - fields one encounters along the journey.
A free garden of curved nerves, a labyrinth in the negative urban space, a Forum as a geometric centre, a Phalanstery reviving housing in the city core, and two ex-parking spaces redefined as public zones—each forms an autonomous element within a broader linear entity that connects them.
Pt. 0: Garden
Klauthmonos Sq. is a palimpsest of Athenian history, where layers of time intertwine. The square is divided in two levels, an open plaza and a secluded garden with organic paths. Below, an underground passage links the nearest metro station, activating cultural spaces.
Pt. 1: Labyrinth
In Athens’ commercial heart, a ""monoblock"" rises—a tribute to the labyrinthine arcades shaping the city’s identity. Beneath its towering presence, a lively ground floor unfolds, arcades reveal hidden courtyards, while rooftops offer respite from urban chaos.
Pt. 2: Forum
At the axis’ centre, the produce market, opposite the municipal market, becomes a Forum. A recessed square emerges, where the market's pulse beats beneath sheltering arcades. The old and new markets, along with Eastern and Western Athens, meet and interact.
Pt. 3: Phalanstery
Theatre Sq. transforms into a space of collective living, where vacant structures are redefined as social housing. This shift reimagines the square as a community hub, fostering urban connectivity and social bonds.
Pt. 4: Circle
The area around Koumoundourou Sq. is preserved, but urban gaps are reborn. A circular plaza anchors the space, while a linear park unfurls like a ribbon, inviting passersby to linger, reflect, and engage.
Pt. 5: Lunaparking
A multi-use building rises at the square's edge. Its flexible Corbusiean structure liberates the ground floor from private use, blending parking with communal spaces, adapting to the city's evolving needs.
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