In 2019, at the Shipping Conference held in Lisbon, the European Commission announced its goals and prospects for the development of the blue economy. Specifically, the Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Infrastructure, and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella, referred to Europe’s coastal areas, which are home to 214 million people and generate 43% of the European Gross Domestic Product. For 2020, the sectors of the blue economy characterized as high-demand with great growth potential include aquaculture, coastal tourism, maritime craftsmanship, energy, and underwater mining.
With tourist flows to Greece steadily increasing in recent years, Piraeus is now the largest passenger port in Europe (according to PPA data, 2020) and the fourth largest commercial port on the continent (Port Economics data, 2019). However, the city of Piraeus is currently facing a major challenge: to transform into a modern urban center with upgraded infrastructure, high-quality public spaces, and buildings befitting its scale and international significance—or to remain stagnant, missing a huge historical opportunity.
A few days ago, Thessaloniki showed the way as the Thessaloniki Port Authority (ThPA) officially announced the commissioning of a redevelopment masterplan for the port to the internationally renowned Dutch firm MVRDV. The firm stated that its goal is to transform the eastern port into a modern urban environment and a large hub with multiple uses, enhancing Thessaloniki’s international profile.
In the case of Piraeus, the masterplan for the redevelopment of the port has been drafted and revised over the past few years. A series of architectural competitions followed, such as the transformation of the Silo into an underwater antiquities museum (2013), the redevelopment of Kastraki (2015), and the new Archaeological Museum (2015), among others. Unfortunately, none of these competitions appear to be progressing towards implementation, raising concerns regarding both the institutional framework for conducting competitions and the determination of the involved stakeholders.
Approximately a year ago, in May 2019, Piraeus was ranked fourth in the Open Mall program, a funding initiative of €96.3 million aimed at enhancing economic activity in commercial centers through cultural activities and urban space upgrades. However, almost a year after the announcement, no action plan or further details have been published regarding the utilization of the funds, meaning that time is running out.
A few months ago, in early 2020, the redevelopment program for the historic district of Agios Dionysios was presented. This project, for the first time, involves both the public and private sectors, specifically the company Dimand in collaboration with EBRD and Grivalia, along with the Municipality of Piraeus and the Regional Authority. This project appears to be progressing rapidly and is expected to completely upgrade the area on a scale of several city blocks, creating new jobs and investment opportunities.
The redevelopment of Piraeus is certainly not an easy task. However, as demonstrated by international examples, large-scale projects are not always necessary to rejuvenate a city—small-scale interventions often yield better results. This was the case in Adelaide, a coastal city in Australia. Adelaide’s transformation resulted from small-scale interventions in public spaces that began years ago, such as closing a street to traffic for one night, where food vendors and musicians brought the area to life in an open-air street party. Essentially, Adelaide’s municipality used “placemaking” as a key tool to gradually activate multiple urban spaces, engaging citizens and improving public areas.
According to statements from the Mayor of Piraeus, the redevelopment of Mikrolimano is set to begin within 2020, while discussions have already started regarding the utilization of the Piraeus Tower and the Hippodameian Market. Combined with the completion of transportation infrastructure projects (metro, tram), these developments indicate that Piraeus is at a crucial turning point in its modern history—one that may determine its future trajectory. Given the significance of this moment, both political authorities and all relevant stakeholders must rise to the occasion and meet the demands of the era.
The clock is ticking, and we all hope that Piraeus will win the bet…