Eleftheria Decaux illuminates the famous pedestrian street
Χ. Dukas: “This is an aesthetic and functional upgrade, overlooking the sacred rock of the Acropolis”
The Municipality of Athens continues its collaboration with the Onassis Foundation in the new year with the implementation of a series of projects aimed at upgrading the city. In this context, one of the most beautiful routes of Athens, from the beginning of Dionysiou Areopagitou to the end of Apostolou Pavlos, will have new lighting with the signature of Eleftheria Decaux.
The Mayor of Athens, Harris Doukas, said: “Athens’ famous pedestrian street is getting new lighting by the distinguished lighting designer, Eleftheria Decaux. This is an aesthetic and functional upgrade, with the assistance of the Onassis Foundation, which highlights the historic route and offers residents and visitors a new experience of the public space overlooking the sacred rock of the Acropolis. In the next period, a bronze sculpture-bench by K.P. Cavafy will be placed in honour of the Alexandrian poet, completing the redevelopment of Dionysiou Areopagitou. We are upgrading the infrastructure in Athens, respecting our history, for the benefit of all citizens”.
The President of the Onassis Foundation, Antonis S. Papadimitriou, noted:
“The aim of our interventions is to improve the Athenian neighbourhood, upgrading everyday life on the most common routes in the city. In this sense, we are continuing the “Adopt Your City” program, in collaboration with the Municipality, with similar interventions in other downtown neighborhoods that improve the quality of life, provide a safe environment and comfortable traffic, facilitate access to the road network and strengthen the connection between citizens and the public space. Within a city that questions and explores, it reshapes its internal boundaries by facilitating the connection between its neighbourhoods… It is these routes that inspire the Onassis Foundation, reminding us that the city is in fact the individual stories of its inhabitants. These are the ones we want to hear and respond to.”
The collaboration with the distinguished Greek lighting designer, Eleftheria Decaux, who curated the renewed lighting of the Acropolis in 2020, provides the measure for the aesthetic and functional upgrade of the historic route. The light under Decca’s gaze transforms, in harmony with its surroundings, one of the city’s most iconic promenades, leaving an imprint that revitalises the public space.
The Onassis Foundation is also undertaking the redevelopment of the area where the pedestrian street of Dionysiou Areopagitou meets Amalias Avenue. The trademark of this intervention is the bronze sculpture bench of Cavafy, which will be placed between the Onassis Library and Onassis Mandra, a few metres away from the new building of the Cavafy Archive. At the same time, Athens honours the leading author by continuing a European tradition, which includes, among others, Fernando Pessoa’s bench in Lisbon, James Joyce’s bronze statue in Trieste and Hans Christian Andersen’s in Copenhagen.
These initiatives add to the overall interventions that have taken place in the Municipality of Athens, most recently the creation of a model playground in the Acropolis Garden.
The Onassis Foundation is also undertaking the redevelopment of the area where the pedestrian street of Dionysiou Areopagitou meets Amalias Avenue. The trademark of this intervention is the bronze sculpture bench of Cavafy, which will be placed between the Onassis Library and Onassis Mandra, a few metres away from the new building of the Cavafy Archive. At the same time, Athens honours the leading author by continuing a European tradition, which includes, among others, Fernando Pessoa’s bench in Lisbon, James Joyce’s bronze statue in Trieste and Hans Christian Andersen’s in Copenhagen.
These initiatives are added to the overall interventions that have taken place in the Municipality of Athens, the most recent being the creation of a model playground in the Acropolis Garden.
The Onassis Foundation is also undertaking the redevelopment of the area where the pedestrian street of Dionysiou Areopagitou meets Amalias Avenue. The trademark of this intervention is the bronze sculpture bench of Cavafy, which will be placed between the Onassis Library and Onassis Mandra, a few metres away from the new building of the Cavafy Archive. At the same time, Athens honours the leading author by continuing a European tradition, which includes, among others, Fernando Pessoa’s bench in Lisbon, James Joyce’s bronze statue in Trieste and Hans Christian Andersen’s in Copenhagen.
These initiatives add to the overall interventions that have taken place in the Municipality of Athens, most recently the creation of a model playground in the Acropolis Garden.