Network of green and open spaces in Piraeus city

Student: Polina Prentou
Tutor: Nikos Belavilas
Presentation date: 15/03/2010
Diploma project at the National Technical University of Athens, School of Architecture

The goal of the diploma project is the creation of green routes in the city of Piraeus that connect the existing and the potential green spaces.

Nowadays, the city of Piraeus has about 930 acres of open spaces. The majority of them are located in central Piraeus, while at the northen parts of the city the open spaces are the minimum. However, only a small percentage of open spaces has planting and high density greening. Areas with high density greening are mainly located in central Piraeus. These are the two gardens of the city (Tinaneios garden and Terpsithea square) and the grove of Prophitis Ilias. The planting at the remaining open spaces, the squares and the pedestrian roads, is limited. The majority of these areas are paved with few trees and, in many cases, they are uses as parking lots. The proportion of greening in Piraeus is only 1.56 m2 green per capita. This is lower than the proportion in Athens (2.5 m2 per capita) and the Greek standards (8 m2 pre capita).

The creation of green routes in the city is based on the use of existing and potential green spaces. As a first step, it is proposed to strengthen the greening and planting in existing open spaces. This first step is also the most important, as just by greening the existing free open spaces, the proportion of greening can be multiplied. As a second step, it is proposed to «make green» a set of sites that are designated as green spaces by the Master Plan of Piraeus but they are still free open spaces with no planting. These are mainly located in the northen parts of the city, where there is now the biggest lack of open and green spaces. Moreover, potential green spaces are the brown-fields of the city. More specifically, these are the former industrial and port areas in Leuka, in Faliro and in Palataki, and the, now inactive, railway corridor Leuka-Agios Dionysios. The creation of a network of green routes in the city of Piraeus is possible, by connecting the existing and potential green spaces with pedestrian ways.

During the design of the green network in the city, it is payed special attention in choosing the routes that will connect the green spaces. These routes are not only green routes for walking or recreation, but routes that can be used in daily life. Thus, the routes are chosen in such a way that along or near them there are local commerce and leisure areas, education places, culture spots and social welfare facilities.

As a conclusion, the creation of green routes in the city is feasible, as it requires only minor interventions, and particularly the strengthening of planting to existing open spaces.