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The former Hellinikon International Airport of Athens

Hellenikon, February 2012

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Greater Athens Area & the former International airport of Athens today The largest, publicly-owned, urban, coastal, open area in Attica

The location of the former International airport of Athens in the Greater Athens Area. Sources: Google – Wikimapia (2009-2010). Maps, aerial photos & photos [Database]. http://maps.google.com & www.wikimapia.org. Synthesis and editing: NTUA Urban Environment Lab (2010).

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2007 plan Ministry for the Environment, Planning & Public Works Organization for Planning & Environmental Protection of Athens

•  1.450.000 m2

of new construction

•  Demolition of most of the existing stock

•  Major highway projects running through the softscapes & the park

•  Overpriced construction & operation budget, up to 76 times higher than Greek & European costs

•  No specified effects on Greater Athens Area

Serero, D., Fernandez, E., & Coignet, P./OLM. (2007, January). Metropolitan Park of Hellenikon (3rd phase). Athens: Hellenic Ministry for the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works. Hellenic Ministry for the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works, Organization for Planning and Environmental Protection of Athens, & International Union of Architects. (2003). Hellenikon metropolitan park and urban development: International ideas competition. Athens, Greece: MEPPPW. Retrieved May 5, 2010, from http://www.uia-architectes.org/texte/england/Hellenikon/2results.html

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Open spaces of the Greater Athens Area – Urban metropolitan green spaces Few designated, several not implemented/occupied, very few potential spaces

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Open spaces of the Greater Athens Area – Coastal zone: No access and restricted access for more than 20 km

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Existing construction – 480 buildings, 490.000 m2

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480

529 Ha 97 Ha

626 Ha

386.880 m2

17.740 m2

44.500 m 11.440 m 55.940 m

13.360 m

Number of buildings

Areas •  Former airport area •  Coastal zone •  Total

Total built area •  Existing buildings •  Demolished buildings

Length of fences •  Former airport area •  Coastal zone •  Total

Perimeter

Documentation – fact sheet

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Land uses – institutional concessions & occupations Hyper-fragmentation

•  The fragmentation of Hellinikon by land use, public agency & multiple institutional arrangements

•  Long-term concession & leasing contracts, some of which violating the existing laws

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Metropolitan Park of Hellinikon: A green, culture & recreation park General layout & primary land uses

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•  Open Metropolitan Sports & Recreation pole former Olympic Pole facilities, with relocation of facilities from the coast

•  Public coast Full removal of illegal mass entertainment uses from the coastal zone restoration of unobstructed public access regeneration of the natural coastline and streams protection of antiquities comprehensive redesign of the waterfront in compliance with the Presidential Decree on the coasts

•  Center for Culture, Education & Research West Terminal area Network of buildings and spaces of archaeological, architectural and technical importance

•  Local Center with Social Uses Former military base social welfare, education, small-scale retail & entertainment uses

•  Metropolitan Convention & Exhibition Center Designated building of Eero Saarinen

Metropolitan Park of Hellinikon: A green, culture & recreation park A 5-axes strategy by area

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Towards privatization…

September 2010: Memorandum of Understanding between the government of the Hellenic Republic and the government of the State of Qatar, acting by and through the Qatar Investment Authority: On the establishment of a joint committee of cooperation concerning joint investment activities (article 2, para. 1-2).

May 2011: HELLINIKON SA was established in order to manage the land of Hellinikon, accelerate development processes, deal with technical-legal obstacles and facilitate negotiations between government and investors.

June 2011: Presentation of the “Acebillo plan”.

July 2011: -  Hellinikon was included in the list of the state-owned assets of the privatization program that was launched by L. 3986/2011. -  Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund was established (L.3986/2011) to manage the privatization programme. All state-owned assets that will be privatized are transferred to the Fund. -  Presentation of the new Regulatory Plan of Athens. Still in process of consultation…

December 2011: -Invitation to submit an expression of Interest for the acquisition of a majority of the share capital of HELLINIKON S.A.

•  airport + coastal zone •  mixed-use development without any restrictions for land uses. •  2.500.000 m2 of new construction & demolition of most of the existing stock, including Olympic facilities. •  no plan for the creation of park and public spaces.

- State agencies and private companies are asked or forced to evacuate their facilities.

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“Acebillo plan”

•  2,000,000-­‐3,000,000  m2  of  new  construc2on  &  demoli2on  of  most  of  the  exis2ng  stock  

•  6,200-­‐6,500  upscale  housing  units,  “Mediterranean  villages”  (980,000  m2,15,000  residents)  

•  “Neo-­‐ter2ary”  uses:  financial  &  governmental  district  (390,000  m2),  university  &  R&D  (160.000  m2),  studios,  mall  etc.    

•  Environmental  buildings,  public  access  to  the  coast  

•  No  specified  effects  on  Greater  Athens  Area,  no  specified  budget    

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Urban social movements & a regional coalition for Hellinikon

Tree-­‐plan)ng,  2008    Reappropria)on  of  Ag.Kosmas  beach  2007    

Metropolitan    Social  Health-­‐care  Centre  of  Hellinikon  2011  

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Urban social movements & a regional coalition for Hellinikon

Ini2a2ve  for  Hellinikon  Metropolitain  Park  

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Urban social movements & a regional coalition for Hellinikon

“Agros”  Self-­‐managed  urban  farm