Transforming obsolete infrastructure into a restorative and resilient landscape that will become Europe’s largest coastal park. Ellinikon Park is poised to become one of the most significant public spaces in Athens—an ambitious goal for a city celebrated for its iconic architecture and urban design.
This park, however, is special. It will set a new standard for ecological restoration and will model a cutting-edge approach for the design, programming, and funding of future public parks across the world. The design embraces the site’s abundant cultural heritage while establishing a 21st century ethos and identity for Athens that will resonate for the next 1,000 years.
Once complete, the park will become the social heart of Athens and will provide novel experiences for visitors in a city that does not have a public park at this scale.
Ecological Restoration as a Driver of Design
Most notably, the park presents an opportunity to restore vital habitat and ecosystem functions, balancing cultural expression with robust renaturalization.Over 30,000 new trees representing 86 species were selected for their ecosystem services and adaptability to the site’s distinctive soil profile. The plant list was carefully considered based on 1) native status; 2) adaptability to local and regional climatic conditions; and 3) current distribution range in the Mediterranean basin and known occurrence on the Attica peninsula.
Plant materials are sourced entirely within Greece, which increases biodiversity and establishes a regenerative landscape strategy. Water scarcity is also a concern, requiring strategies to enhance water management and conservation. 100% of the irrigation water demand for the park is fulfilled through reclaimed water. Additionally, a 1.5 hectare (3.7 acre) lake repurposed from the former canoe/kayak Olympic venue collects and stores stormwater during the wet season, with reclaimed water offsetting evaporation during the dry season. The lake includes a recirculating flow-through wetland and serves as an emergency reservoir for drought and fire control. The combination of the constructed wetland, rain gardens, and bioswale network will make this the largest green infrastructure installation in Greece.
Setting a New Standard for Carbon Neutrality
The Ellinikon Park will reach carbon neutrality within 35 years—a remarkable achievement for a project of this scale. The park is a landscape that embodies regenerative design, and will have a significant impact on Athens from a climate perspective. Through all aspects of the design—from soil management, material reuse, water systems, food and energy production, and habitat creation—the park is a working landscape.
It is heroic in scale and ambition, which translates into a responsibility to reinforce the Greek relationship with landscape and reignite this ethos in a 21st century context—centering ecological restoration, climate responsiveness, carbon neutrality, and equitable access for all Athenians. Most importantly, it is a highly visible civic platform that embodies a commitment by the Greek people to provide a progressive model for a landscape that symbiotically benefits people and the planet.
