The Challenge
Athens is now among the most vulnerable European cities facing the climate crisis. A Moody’s report (2023) ranked it first in risk from heatwaves and drought, while the “Kleon” heatwave (July 2023) raised the temperature to 45°C, confirming that extreme events are becoming increasingly frequent and intense.
More than 80% of the urban fabric is covered by impermeable materials, which trap heat and enhance the urban heat island phenomenon. At the same time, the complete absence of surface water flows—as the city’s three historic rivers have been buried under asphalt and concrete—deprives residents of a natural means of cooling and worsens the problem.
Current solutions, such as limiting outdoor work during the hottest hours, remain fragmented and short-term, leaving the most vulnerable households without adequate and quality public cooling spaces.
The Vision
Cooling Havens brings water and greenery back to Athens through a network of 6 Cooling Points. It includes urban interventions, such as rainwater collection gardens, bioswales and gardens irrigated with reclaimed water through sewer mining technology. All solutions emerge from an open architectural competition.
The installations create more than 8,000 m² of new blue and green infrastructure and aim for approximately 2-5°C reduction in local temperature during heatwave days, while retaining more than approximately 70% of intense rainfall.
Each Point is equipped with “smart” IoT sensors for temperature, humidity and water consumption, which collect and transmit real-time data to a Open Data portal, allowing the city—and citizens—to monitor performance and optimize their operation.
The interventions are implemented in six key areas of Athens:
• Ilisos Park, Ilisia
• Ag. Lavras Green Space (ISAP Station), Ano Patisia
• Lakonia Square, Ampelokipoi
Ramnes Square, Kolonos/Metaxourgeio
Ag. Nikolaou Pefkakion Park, Neapoli Exarcheia
Fokionos Negri, Kypseli
The solution
The solution is framed by a comprehensive participation and learning program:
Athens Water School & Digital Water Memory Lab
Educational pathways and storytelling workshops around water.
Citizen Participation Centers
At least 5 co-design workshops per neighborhood, aiming for the participation of over 120 residents in the design.
Green Jobs
Training 40 unemployed people in the maintenance of water and green-based infrastructures.
Municipal Staff Training
Training of 25 municipal employees in the maintenance of facilities, with the aim of promoting resilient design.
Open Public Data Lab for sustainable water management
Citizens, researchers and organizations have access to live measurements and information, so they can monitor, understand and improve water use in the city.
Data visualization and multimedia artworks
Artists, data scientists and environmental experts collaborate to transform environmental data into visually captivating representations, making information accessible and understandable to all audiences.
This approach creates cooling points and cultivates a culture of responsible water use in every neighbourhood, while strengthening participation and citizens’ sense of collective responsibility for public space and the environment.
European Urban Initiative (EUI)
Cooling Havens is implemented thanks to co-financing from the European Urban Initiative (EUI)—the successor mechanism to UIA that supports bold, transformative solutions in European cities.