where are we now?

We are a group of architects who are concerned with research and activities of participatory planning in Tavros area, and specifically around Tavros social housing residencies. The group operates with assemblies and consists of Dimitra Vrenda, Konstantinos Dimopoulos, George Noukakis, Sofia Bagana, Evanthia Kanaraki, Panagiotis Kiousis, Aspassia Kouzoupi, Adrianos Servetas, Eleni Tzirtialaki and Katerina Fotiadou.

The area ground’s substratum is intersected by the Northern Long Wall, while it used to be the location of Syggrou Prison (1888-1945). The rich aquifer, typical of the area, is nourished by the timeless proximity to the Ilissos river and is witnessed by the rich flora, but also the stories of the inhabitants about cisterns, wells and crops.  The palimpsest becomes even richer if we consider that the prison’s facilities – after they ceased to function as a place of confinement- were converted into makeshift accommodation, where the civil war displaced and other internal migrants inhabited it.  After a number of collective struggles, they got relocated to the Social Housing complex in 1961, which was built on the prison’s building site, and is still inhabited today.

 The public space between the social housing residences is neglected, but small gardens emerge, privately cared for by the residents.  We invite the community to envision transformations that could take place in the territory of public space around social housing complex, relating to adaptation to the climatic crisis and the management of the archaeological historical and social heritage.  The group’s direction is planning/redesigning with the community of Tavros residents, while generating a participatory planning methodology for the public space,  during the current vulnerable times.

We have conducted, in collaboration with the ‘Tavros Residents Initiative for Solidarity‘, the participatory design workshop in a central public space of the neighborhood [14/11/2021], as well as another activity with the students of the 4th Primary School of Tavros [4/1/2022], in collaboration with their teachers Theodosia Nikolakopoulou and Paraskevi Papageorgiou.

In the context of imagining alternative possibilities of companionship and alternative ways for cooperation, while taking into consideration the conflicts that arise, but also the urgent need create bonds with the residents – the community, as well as other dynamics that arise in the area – such as Tavros Space – on May 15 in the action “‘Κερασμα’.  Where are we now?” we invite residents to the location of TAVROS,  to show them a part of our progress so far and discuss about the neighborhood and the public space, from 15:00 to 18:00.