This time the journey from Stockholm to Athens has been both exhilarating and challenging. We’re becoming more and more attuned to the differences between our Greek and Swedish cultures; it used to be that we simply perceived the stark contrasts, but gradually an awareness has emerged of the nuanced needs and expectations that the two distinct ways of life entail. That awareness has definitely shaped our desires when it comes to choosing our new neighborhood and our new home in Athens. We needed a place that would reflect and support the unique blend of our backgrounds and experiences.
Photo by Giagkos
Johan’s roots reach deep in the lush landscapes of Sweden. He dreamed of green spaces— a desire that initially seemed difficult to fulfill in the concrete jungle of Athens. His yearning for places to stroll and reconnect with nature is a clear manifestation of the importance of simplicity and serenity in his life.'
My own aspirations for our neighborhood were colored by my love of the vibrancy and pulse of city life. Having spent years happily immersed in the eclectic energy and the bustling streets of Athens, I longed for a neighborhood with a definitive urban vibe, with shops and elements that brought to life the fabric of everyday existence—not a disconnected residential district.
For months we roamed around the streets of Athens, exploring its diverse neighborhoods and weighing the merits of each one against our own desires. There were countless moments of uncertainty and anticipation along the way as we searched for a place that would answer the call of both our dreams.
We ultimately revisited a neighborhood and discovered that it feels like home; it also happens to be the place where I grew up. Papagos is a suburb of Athens just 6.5km from the absolute city center, at the foot of Mount Hymettus. Its serene streets are rich with trees, and there is a network of more than 27 parks, but it’s also a ‘real’ neighborhood with an urban plan including shops, squares, and an abundance of communal spaces.
Family houses in Papagos by the AOOA archives
If you are familiar with Athens, you’ll know that the city is home to half of the entire population of Greece, and that it is the European city with the lowest ratio of green space per capita. This is not true for Papagos though! Papagos always had a vision and commitment to integrate nature into the urban fabric. Its roots go back to the 1920s, and the influence of the garden city movement is evident in its design. The visionaries behind its development, led by architect Colonel Achille Spanoudis, sought to seamlessly integrate greenery into the fabric of everyday life—a vision that has definitely stood the test of time. Today, set against the backdrop of Mount Hymettus, with some parts of the river Ilissos meandering through before reaching its estuary in Faliro, we dare say that Papagos is a Sanctuary in the bustling urban scene of Athens. Papagos stands out and boasts an impressive 10m2 of green space per person—rivalling even the greenest districts of Zurich.
Papagos emerged as a tranquil residential community with its first construction phase in the 1950s, when it provided housing for the officers of the Armed Forces. The subsequent phases, which culminated in the 1980s, transformed Papagos into the thriving residential community that it is today, with its charming combination of urban living and lush parks. And to this day, it remains a beacon of tranquility—a timeless oasis in the heart of this urban metropolis.
In the end we discovered that Papagos is a place of fascinating synergies and contrasts. Just as our family with its two distinct cultures, the Greek and the Swedish, full of contrasts, has found its own identity, Papagos is neither strictly city nor only nature. It is a place where abundant green spaces seamlessly blend with the built environment, where the mountain and unadulterated nature meet the urban fabric and its spirit and vitality to create new constellations of natural urbanity. It is the perfect backdrop for our family to grow its roots in Athens.
We are so grateful and so excited for what is to come!
Until next time,
OOAK architects
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