Excursion “Walking Athens”

Athens is the capital of Greece and home to the Acropolis. Over the past 20 years or so, following Greece's entry into the eurozone in 2001, the city has undergone a dramatic transformation that has affected not only its economic and political outlook, but the fabric of its built environment as well. Starting with the global financial crisis of 2007/2008, Greece fell into a recession that lasted for many years and triggered a severe economic downturn that affected Europe at large. Today, however, the capital is on an upward trajectory: its status as a tourist attraction is growing, it is now operating as a fertile and productive cultural hub, and the city is home to an international and aspirational population.

In this module we will explore Athens through walking. Over four days, we will take different routes towards specific destinations and designated points of interest, street corners and buildings, and discover different historical layers, outlooks, material compositions, residues of occupation, tourists, residences and infrastructures. Most of all, though, and perhaps foremost, we will get under the skin of the unexpected and evolving city.

We invite you to join our walk, which starts at the beginning of November and lasts for four days, from the 5th to the 9th.

The objective of this course is to identify and, critically, record a range of different urban and architectural phenomena. Please bring your walking gear, your sketchbook and some curiosity. The weather should be pleasant and inviting; you might even want to bring your swimsuit.

This module can only be chosen in combination with the module “Architektur der ökologischen Krise”, (Schlüsselkompetenz 4, Teil 1), by Prof. Dr. Karl R. Kegler.

First meeting and introduction:
Wednesday, 09.10.24, 06:30 pm, room 214