Bjarke Ingels Group has revealed the design of Park Rise residences, a new development the Little Athens neighborhood of Ellinikon, featuring modern homes, greenspace, retail, office, and hospitality. The Ellinikon is an ambitious urban regeneration project that reimagines the grounds of Athens’ old international airport and transforms it into a 6.2 million-square meter smart city. Within this development, the Little Athens neighborhood aims to become an integrated part of Ellinikon’s smart urban ecosystem and bring over 1100 new residences to the northwestern coastline of the development.
Placed in a central location in Little Athens, Bjarke Ingels Group’s Park Rise will feature 88 residential units of varying sizes, from one to five-bedroom homes. The project’s curved concave façade is obtained by varying the height of the building’s five cores. The resulting shape of the building prioritizes views of the Aegean Sea on one side, and of the mountains of Attica on the other. The project also includes resident-only amenities such as fitness facilities, a 20-m. indoor swimming pool, as well as private gardens on the ground floor for reflection and relaxation.
The geometric character of the building is underlined by the various textures of the façade, from flute patterns on vertical areas to the smooth finish of soffits and flooring. The off-white, glass-reinforced concrete of the façade features exposed aggregates in a bid to create a connection to the natural landscape. Local and natural materials are used throughout the development to create a sense of serenity and comfort.
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Abandoned Airport near Athens, Greece, Set to be Transformed into Europe’s Largest Coastal ParkThe Ellinikon development is designed from the ground up as a 15-minute city, providing its residents and visitors with recreational, educational, and athletic facilities. Notable features include the Ellinikon Park, which, upon completion, will become Europe’s largest coastal park, the Riviera Tower, and Riviera Galleria, a shopping and dining destination along the waterfront, and the 310-berth marina, offering large-scale mooring capacity. The entire project aims to become self-sufficient in irrigation and electricity needs and integrates energy conservation strategies and emission-reducing systems throughout its design.
Recently, BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group completed IQON, their first residential project in the capital of Ecuador. BIG has also revealed a concept for a self-sufficient off-grid island developed for the experimental clothing brand Vollebak. The group has also been commissioned to transform the Aqaba Port Terminal in Jordan, a 3 square kilometers master plan that aims to expand the port’s logistic functions while connecting it to the broader port's community and natural environment.
