Divercity Architects Trac

Project: Urban/Commercial
Location: Agios Kosmas, Αthens, Greece
Client: Seirios
Project Status: Unbuilt
Collaborators: Maria Kokkinou & Andreas Kourkoulas
Antonia Panou
EDAW / AECOM (masterplan)

International competition for the development
and long-term use of the Olympic Sailing Centre,
Ag. Kosmas, Athens, 1st prize 2006 (GR)

This marina is located in the coastal suburb of Agios
Kosmas, Athens. The aim was to reconfigure
the relationship between the city and its coastline
by transforming a ‘dead’ marina into a dynamic urban
space that serves multiple uses (including cinemas,
cafes, restaurants, a market, and theme park).

In order to create a strong identity for the site,
which is visible both from land and sea,
he shopping centre was designed as a wave.
Its undulating rooftop runs alongside the coastal
highway, signalling the marina’s presence
to the city, while its glass front faces the sea -
an arresting image that attracts passing boats.
The roof doubles as a walkway, so the whole
site becomes an extension of the landscape.

To accentuate its accessibility, the concept
for the retail complex was based on an open-air
market, or Agora, rather than a closed shopping mall.
By reducing optical barriers and increasing points
of entry, the built environment becomes a transitional
space connecting the city and the sea. This is achieved
by carving out deep access routes, such as a ramp
that leads from the exhibition spaces to the waterfront
promenade. The vertical sections between the cafes
also create multiple visual connections and access points.