ORGANISATION FOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OF ATHENS NTUA – URBAN ENVIRONMENT LABORATORY RESEARCH PROJECT METROPOLITAN PARK AT GOUDI – ILISOS, ATHENS SUMMARY PRESENTATION 2002 1 SCOPE, BASIC OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY OF THE RESEARCH In November 1997, the Organisation for Planning and Environmental Protection of Athens (Athens Organisation) assigned to the Urban Environment Laboratory of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, of the NTUA School of Architecture, a Research Project entitled “Metropolitan Park at Goudi”. This project was completed in May 1999. The Design Area extends south-east of Messoghion Avenue, on both sides of Katekhaki Avenue upto the foot of Hymettus mountain, and includes the areas of the former and present military camps of Varyti, Zorba, Fakinou and Plessa, the Pentagon, the Zographou Technical University Campus, the Centre for Medical- Biological Research of the Academy of Athens, the University Research Institute of Mental Health of the University of Athens; the ‘Red Cross’, ‘People’s’, ‘Children’s’, ‘General State’ and ‘Sotiria’ civil hospitals; the 401 General Army and 251 General Navy military hospitals; the ministries of Public Order, National Defence, Justice and Transport (under construction); the Greek Radio Television S.A. complex (former Armed Forces Information Service); the Gendarmerie School and Grove; the Papagou Grove; the sports grounds of the Municipalities of Athens, Zographou and Papagou; the nursery garden of the Municipality of Athens; the Riding Centre of the Athletics General Secretariat; schools of the adjacent Municipalities; and, finally, the forest and grassland expanses of the Officers’ Independent Construction Organisation (AOOA). The overall expanse of the Design Area is approximately 4,500,000 sq.m. (1,125 acres). Scope and Objectives of the Research In accordance with the Athens Organisation, the general aim of the research is “the establishment of a Metropolitan Park at Goudi which will include and incorporate the functions already existing in the area pertaining to health - welfare - education - administration - sports in an extensive park of green having high ecological quality and with limited uses for culture, sports and recreation”. “The uses which can be included in the Park should, on the one hand, contribute to the environmental upgrading of the greater area where urban uses have already been developed and, on the other hand, contribute to the interface of the urban green with the Hymettus peri-urban green. These uses should be harmonised with the function of the Park as a “linking” space between the adjacent municipalities regarding cultural and social activities, and as an “intermediate” space of green between the Hymettus peri-urban forest and the recreation pole of the Tourkovounia hills. “Regarding the materialisation of the project, the possibility to establish a system for a uniform management and materialisation of the project in co-operation with Central Bodies and Organisations of the Local Government, will be examined”. 2 Stages of the Project The research project had two stages: During Stage One, the assessment of the present situation and the determination of the nature of the Park have been completed. The general principles for its function have been established, and alternative scenarios have been presented with regard to the nature of the activities proposed. During Stage One, the proposal for organising the character, the urban-planning structure and the activities of the Park has been completed, by means of their presentation at the level of natural planning. The backgrounds used during Stage Two were produced through a photo-interpretation of air photographs at a 1:1000 scale by the Land Registration and Mapping Organisation of Greece specially for the specific research project. During the entire first as well as second stage, the research group was in communication with the representatives from the Local Government and the residents’ Associations in the area, with all the Bodies involved in the formation of the Park (Ministries, Hospitals, Educational Institutions), so that the research would take into account and co-assess their views and proposals. More specifically, during Stage Two, the research group has participated in nine special meetings held in the offices of the Athens Organisation, during which it briefed the representatives of the competent departments regarding the project, the works proposed and the arrangements. During these meetings, the views of the various bodies regarding the specific project as well as the planning of their own projects were presented. They were both co-assessed by the research group, the further aim of which was their consent and, therefore, the feasibility of the project of establishing the Metropolitan Park. The result of these meetings was a modification in the proposals submitted in Stage One. Characteristically, it can be mentioned that there is a modification in the limits of the areas included in the Management Body of the Park or in the organising of the routes of the Means of Public Transport which will serve the Park and the surrounding area. COMPOSITION OF THE RESEARCH GROUP The research group includes: teachers, researchers and candidates for a doctor’s degree from the National Technical University of Athens; Professor Yiannis Polyzos who is in charge of scientific work; as well as scholars and special advisers. Specifically, those who have participated are: • Architect Engineers and City Planners: Evi Karaviti, Nontas Kremmydas (OPEPA) Maria Mantouvalou (NTUA), Nicos Belavilas (NTUA), Ghiorgos Patrikios, Yiannis Polyzos (NTUA), 3 Dimitris Polychronopoulos (NTUA), Vasso Trova • Civil Engineers and Transportation Engineers: Thanos Vlastos (NTUA), Maria Kalantzopoulou • Topographer Engineers: Dionyssis Balodimos (NTUA), T. Bithas (STTP, NTUA) Demosthenis Stathas (NTUA) • Mechanical - Electrical Engineers: Dimitris Kouremenos (NTUA), Ghiorgos Papadopoulos, Nicos Dimitrakopoulos • Economists: Methodi S.A., Nicos Gounarakis, Vanghelis Kotsonis • Environmentalists: Kimon Hadjibiros (NTUA), Nancy Mitsou • Landscape Architect: Maria Gounaraki • Foresters - Agronomists: Dimitris Alifranghis (University of Thessaloniki), Alexandros Dimitrakopoulos (University of Thessaloniki), • Mineralogist: Antonis Franghiscos (NTUA) • Lawyers: Ghiorgos Papadimitriou (NUA), Maria Florou • Historian: Leda Papastefanaki • Geographic Information Systems – Electronic Layout: Ghiorgos Kalantzopoulos, Ada Pavlopoulou, Evi Karaviti, Ghiorgos Patrikios • Photo-interpretation and production of topographic backgrounds: Ghiorgos Makaritis (Land Registration and Mapping Organisation of Greece) • Secretarial and Planning Support: Vivi Kostopoulou, Ioli Vrychea- Chaidopoulou, Fani Raftopoulou • Translation: Ivi Rokkou COMPOSITION OF THE MONITORING COMMITTEE The Monitoring Committee comprises of representatives from the Organisation for Planning and Environmental Protection of Athens (Athens Organisation) and from the Municipalities of Athens and Zographou. • Eleni Eliopoulou, co-ordinator (Athens Organisation) • Maro Evanghelidou (Athens Organisation) • Emilia Veaki (Athens Organisation) • Roe Kloutsinioti (Athens Organisation) • Apostolis Gheronikos, Elli Papaconstantinou (Municipality of Athens) • Yiannis Rengas (until 31-12-1998), Gherassimos Markatos (Municipality of Zographou) • Antonis Kontakis (Infrastructure Directorate), General Army Staff 4 Those who participated in the special meetings held at the Athens Organisation during Stage Two, which were chaired by Mrs. Maria Patelarou, Vice-President of the OPEPA, were: the Monitoring Committee and Messrs. Vassilis Liongas, Adviser to the Minister of National Defence; Anastassios Tsitsis, Brigadier, Infrastructure Directorate of the General Army Staff; Anghelos Ghavalas, Bureau of the Prime Minister for the Quality of Life; Socrates Pefanis and Eleni Pournara, Special Works Directorate of the Ministry of Environment, Planning and Public Works; Domna Papathoma, Directorate of Urban Planning of the Ministry of Environment, Planning and Public Works. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The research group would like to thank: • The Mayors of: Zographou, F. Sakellaridou; Papagou, V. Xydis; Neo Psychico, A. Vezyrghiannis; and also, the Deputy Mayor of Athens, I. Skalaeos. • The Municipal and District Councillors of the Municipalities of Athens, Zographou and Papagou; the Representatives of the Residents’ Associations and, more specifically, the ladies and gentlemen: A. Alefantinos, V. Karayiannis, I. Antoniou, Th. Agathaki, E. Stremmenou, Th. Mavri, N. Gheorghiopoulo, N. Roi. • The officials, ladies and gentlemen: E. Antonaka, General Secretariat of Athletics; A. Koumoutsou, Directorate of Urban Planning of the Ministry of Environment, Planning and Public Works; E. Bourlou, Technical Service of the Ministry of Public Order; L. Karavia, Technical Service of the Ministry of the Interior, Public Administration and Decentralisation; F. Mata, Riding Centre of the General Secretariat of Athletics; L. Galeos and Ch. Antoniadis, Ministry of the Interior – NIS; A. Pangalou and V. Theodorou, Technical Services Directorate of the Ministry of Health and Welfare; Ch. Kontoleon, I. Karemfyllaki and A. Stratakos, Sotiria Hospital; V. Athanassopoulos, 401 Army Hospital. • The Army History Directorate, 6th Bureau. • The National Defence Fund and Colonel Mr. Pizanias and Mr. Kalokyris in particular. • The Army Archives Service and Mrs. V. Sfalangakou in particular. • The paediatrician of the