nando02

really beautiful!!!

Giorgos

Thankyou!

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Giorgos

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gm2263

I cannot say anything less than that I am ecstatic when I drive along Kifissias Avenue, or use the junction with Spyros Louis Avenue to turn right and see the big constructions stretching spectacularly and giving a fyturistic aspect in an already well built neighbourhood (Maroussi).

Spyros Louis, whose name took the main avenue that passes all along the Olympic installations, is the first Greek golden medallist and won the Marathon run of the first Modern Olympics in Athens in 1896). He was from the area of Maroussi where actually the Olympiv games took place and the thus, honoris causa, the main road in front of the installations took his name.

It is really difficult to fully describe the feeling that one gets whan s/he reaches the open spaces of the Olympic installations. The usual scales of Athens do not apply there, as if an out-of-this-world sorcerer has created a breach into the time/space continoum and this part of Athens was brought into the 21st century.

Of course, the credits for this metamorphose belong to the renowned architect Santiago Calatrava who, following an invitation from the then Minister of Culture, Mr Venizelos in 2001, Calatrava proceeded in proposing his designs which are characterised by the now famous long arches which symbolise the trajectories of the athletes jumping or throwing objects in a constant fight with the earth's gravity. "Citius, Altous, Fortius".

With the exception of the first one, here are some of the pics that I took from 2003 to 2006 from the installations of the Main Athens Olympic Sports Complex (OAKA). Enjoy!!!

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We are the citizens, the urbanomancers, the ones that can infuse megapolisomancy into this inertia, the urbanauts of the new world, the spirited ones who can fly across space and time, the transformers of worlds, the episcopes of change. We can do it.
ALL OUT FOR A TALL ATHENS

gm2263

Main Athens Olympic Sports Complex (OAKA) - Aerial taken by K. Vergas (C)Athens Olympic Games Organising Committee




OAKA from the Hymettus mountain




OAKA Construction collage - Pictures taken a few weeks apart from each other depicting the successive phases of construction of the Athens Olympic Stadium roof.




Full panoramic view of the main Athens Olympic Centre from the Attikon Alsos/ Philothei hills




The Olympic stadium from Philothei Hills






The Velodrome and the arched walkway - agora from Philothei Hills






Galatsi Gymnastics Centre as seen from the Philothei Hills. It will be turned into a shopping centre with 40,000 sq metres leasable space




Maroussi skyline from Penteli mountain - The tall building in front of the Olympic stadium is the Atrina Centre Tower




Detail



...and much more that I have in store...

__________________
We are the citizens, the urbanomancers, the ones that can infuse megapolisomancy into this inertia, the urbanauts of the new world, the spirited ones who can fly across space and time, the transformers of worlds, the episcopes of change. We can do it.
ALL OUT FOR A TALL ATHENS