Article source: U67 (Fabio Gigone + Angela Gigliotti)

The Piraeus and the city of Athens together form a complex metropolitan area in which the presence of an archipelago of spaces emerges clearly from the dense low-rise fabrics’ layer of the houses. The islands of this archipelago could be considered the eminent mountains, hills, sporadic open spaces, thick industrial buffers and a myriad of gardens. In a way, here the Cyclades are mirrored to form a reverse: where the docking to one of those “islands” often means to get a breath. “Kanari Island” and “Ietionian Gate” are two twin islands placed next to the Piraeus Port, even if not directly connected with the sea and not even to each other, still their opposite topography makes the docking to them two completely different experiences. The relationship between these two islands is the framework in which this proposal has to be collocated. Both for the visitors and for the residents, the “Kanari Island” has a central role due to its position: it is a contemporary urban gate for the city.

Pireaus Port, Image Courtesy © U67 (Fabio Gigone + Angela Gigliotti)

• Architects: U67 (Fabio Gigone + Angela Gigliotti)
• Project: KANARI ISLAND
• Location: Piraeus, Greece
• Collaborators: Luka Anic, Agnieszka Nowacka, Davide Masserini
• Software used: Rhinoceros

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