Abstract
Currently, riots, protests, strikes, demonstrations and graffiti on the walls are transforming public space in Athens into a platform for negotiation, dialogue and even violence. Nevertheless, we perceive the insurgent public space is not a particular character of life in a given place. It arises more reflection and poses tremendous questions beyond a geographical boundary. This project will attempt to take Athens as a paradigm to probe into the domain of public space. On the one hand, a series of dramatic social transformations accelerated by the economic crisis and demographic shift have been physically reflected in its public space, in a form of rebellions or struggle. It is part of the global network of insurgent public space. On the other hand, it stands out by virtue of its unique economic mechanism which results in a ‘private’ urbanization. By researching its urbanization and documenting and reading recent points of insurrections and appropriations in the city, this research intends to articulate its internal crisis and claims beyond rebellions, and finally through a new act of spatial practice to analyse and explore the possibility of a common after the withering of public space. For the design part, it attempts to explore the possibility of common space- a space beyond the binary opposition of public and private, and use façade as a principle tool to transform and unify the existing urban fabric- street and square. A resulting contiguous series of loggia and chambers will unfold in the whole city to achieve the sense of commonality.