In one of the most talked about parks in the heart of Athens, the Logginou Grove is reborn, with more than 2,500 new plantings in an area of 750 sq.m.
In a city that is constantly evolving and renewing, the Onassis Foundation reconstructs pitches and playgrounds and enriches the urban character of the most historic neighborhoods of Athens, with works of art, in the context of the OnAthens initiative, recognizing the importance of play and culture in our daily lives.
Next stop, the Mets neighborhood. In co-operation with Municipality of Athens, a park, a playground and a basketball court are coming to upgrade the urban landscape of Athens. A year after the creative intervention in his neighborhood New Worldbut also the renovation of the stadium at the Lyceum of Moschato, the Onassis Foundation renovates the playground and “animates” the Logginou Grove while supporting young artists.
In one of the most talked about parks in the heart of Athens, the Logginou Grove is reborn, with more than 2,500 new plantings in an area of 750 sq.m. In the context of the ecological identity of the Onassis Foundation and the need of the residents of the neighborhood for more and more green, the new plantings came to contribute significantly to the stimulation of the biodiversity of the grove and to strengthen the balance of its ecosystem. Intersection of routes of 2,200 sq.m. with natural, earthen, stabilized floor, water interventions that ensure an environmentally friendly maintenance of the space, fencing and benches invite residents and passers-by of the Mets to stand and enjoy this forgotten city park.
The outdoor basketball court is being renovated and both the court and the adjacent wall are being transformed by two young artists, Marios Markatis and Iasonas Koutsouris, members of the team. “U can’t stop Us”intervening in the Logginos Grove in Mets with two colorful graffiti. The artists treat the rectangular area of the stadium as if it were a painting frame. The rules of the game, as they are reflected in the lines and boundaries of the playing field, are intertwined with abstract gestures of painting. The imposed line is maintained and overturned at the same time: the center circle, the side and end lines, the line of free throws and the three-pointer, the semicircles and the outline of the dashboard with the rim remain distinct, but are now integrated into a painting composition. The match in such a place thus becomes more lively and enjoyable for both the players and the spectators. Looking at the stadium from above, from the bird’s point of view, a living painting unfolds in your eyes in the heart of the city.
«The idea behind the project takes into account the special feature of the Logginos Grove, which tends to combine a variety of activities. So we decided to create a design that contains shapes-shapes that start independently and end up merging in the center. This creates an escape point, which symbolizes the ability of the grove to unite these forms-activities and create a small community. Then, with the same reasoning, we created a similar pattern on the wall surface, adding the concept of time through an alternation from day to night.“, They report Marios Markatis and Jason Koutsouris.
Seeking one more ecological, “green” approach of the Mets’s urban identity, the Onassis Foundation is also carrying out a complete renovation of the playground of the Logginos Grove. Bright, vibrant colors, new modern equipment, new playing instruments, suitable for every age group of children. Complex wooden houses, swings, seesaws, spring toys. A series of new instruments with natural materials and TUV certification, that excite the imagination of children, help their physical exercise (climbing, sliding, swinging, swinging, oscillating and interacting) and promote individual and group play, with equipment suitable for Disabled.
