Project: Panepistimiou Street (Athens, Greece)
Landscape architect: H. Pangalou & Associates Landscape Architects
Lighting design: Edeko Eleftheria Deko & Associates
Photographer: Gavriil Papadiotis
Panepistimiou Street is one of the most significant historical and cultural axes in Athens. It connects the University, the Academy and the National Library, crossing the oldest core of the city. After decades in which urban space was dominated by vehicular traffic, Athens has launched a process of urban regeneration that goes far beyond conventional road redevelopment, placing public space and the quality of urban experience at the centre of the project.
An urban regeneration project beyond asphalt
The intervention is part of the "The Great Walk of Athens", a major urban regeneration project creating a 6.3 km pedestrian zone through Athens' historic center, linking key archaeological sites like the Acropolis, Ancient Agora, and Plaka, making the city more walkable and green by pedestrianizing streets like Vasileos Olgas, Herodes Atticus, Panepistimiou, and Athinas, transforming the area into a unified cultural route.
An integrated project: mobility, climate and environment
Key aspects of The Great Walk
Pedestrianization: Creates a large car-free zone for pedestrians.
Unification: Connects major historical sites, enhancing the experience of exploring the city on foot.
New public space: Adds significant green areas and public space to the city center.
Scope: Covers major streets and areas, including Syntagma Square, Plaka, Monastiraki (Commercial Triangle), and extends towards the National Archaeological Museum.
Vision: Aims to make Athens more accessible and enjoyable for residents and visitors, integrating historical landmarks with modern city life.
The intervention develops as a coherent system, where urban elements interact with each other and contribute to the overall quality of public space.
The role of light in public space
In a project of this scale, lighting is an integral part of the design process. Light helps make spaces readable, safe and accessible even during evening hours, guiding people along pathways and enhancing existing architecture without overpowering it.
Within the context of Panepistimiou Street, lighting performs a clear and essential role:
- defining and organising space
- improving visual comfort
- reinforcing the perception of safety
- supporting the continuous use of public space
The choice of the Park pole fits seamlessly into this framework as a discreet and effective design tool. Its essential design and lighting performance, specifically developed for pedestrian and cycling areas, allow light to be integrated into the urban landscape without altering its balance.
Park contributes to the creation of functional and controlled urban lighting, combining energy efficiency, high-quality light and respect for the surrounding context.
A city project, not just a street
Panepistimiou Street is an example of how the contemporary city is being rethought—not as a traffic infrastructure, but as an ecosystem of shared spaces, relationships and environmental quality. In this scenario, allowing architecture, public space and everyday life to connect, light becomes a key element of urban experience.
For Simes, taking part in this project means placing its lighting expertise at the service of a broader urban vision, where light is considered an essential component of public space design.
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