Studio Athens

Water is life. As humanity's most essential resource, water has shaped the development of civilisation at large, and its availability has for millennia dictated the planning, architecture and infrastructure of settlements the world over, making it an essential factor in the growth and survival of cultures and societies. In this studio, we will focus on Athens, the capital of Greece, and its relationship with water. As global warming edges dangerously close to 1.5 degrees Celsius, Athens is currently the hottest mainland European capital and the European city most significantly impacted by heat waves, with summer temperatures now reaching up to 45 degrees Celsius. As a result, severe droughts have become more commonplace in recent years.

To address the city’s deepening water crisis, the Greek government is endorsing a comprehensive plan to reactivate an ancient Roman aqueduct: an initiative that aims not only to meet the current demands on the water supply for irrigation, but also to create new places of cultural and environmental interest along its route through the heart of Athens. Built in the 2nd century CE during the reign of the Roman Emperor Hadrian, this aqueduct was constructed to transport water from the springs at the base of Mount Parnitha to the centre of the city. For the most part, it runs underground and stretches approximately 20 kilometres in length, connecting a variety of different districts and neighbourhoods in the Greek capital.

The reactivation of this aqueduct will be central to our design efforts as we observe and critically record a range of distinct urban and architectural phenomena along the ancient infrastructure and explore its future potential for the city. Students will work in groups to identify sites on and around the aqueduct and will in turn develop and propose design of architectural and urban interventions. Considerations such as peoples’ habits, movements and behaviours in relation to water, as well as its usage, collection and reuse in relation to climate change, urban heat resilience and biodiversity will all come into play. How can a densely populated city that is running out of water prepare for a more sustainable future, and do so beautifully?

We will take an experimental approach to developing new ideas and concepts for these sites and the existing structure at large. Working with models and formulating individual design approaches will be an important aspect of the studio's design process, and the course will begin with a series of short assignments before we take a trip to Athens in April to explore the city and the neighbourhoods along Hadrian’s Aqueduct. We look forward to spending the summer semester with you and your ideas.

First meeting and introduction:
Thursday, 20.03.25, 10:00 am, room 214