Drifting space: the case of Athens

Motivation for this project was the current refugee crisis in Europe, although it is a fact that it extents to long ignored issue of immigration in Europe. Many studies are researching the political, economic and social aspects of migration neglecting the spatial dimension. However immigrants regardless of their background or their final destination occupy space in the urban fabric. The communities of immigrants face the continuous pressure of segregation while the urban fabric changes due to their agglomeration. The latter fail to support immigrants’ needs while at the same time conflict between them and locals arise. This research, started with an international comparison between three case studies (Athens, Paris, Stockholm) and then a deeper understanding of the socio-spatial phenomena in the case of Athens. Main focus is the relationship between the urban structures and the daily systems of locals and immigrants and the mitigation of the frictions that exist between them in a local level. The final product, located in the municipality of Athens, is composed by strategic actions and flexible urban structures that can adapt to the new circumstances while providing ways for alleviating the social and structural decay. It is a localized, actor based strategy that can help in the integration of immigrants and the development of the municipality of Athens.Architecture and The Built EnvironmentUrbanis