Landscape design in Athens during the preparation of the Olympic Games in 2004: project implementation & maintenance

Abstract

During the Olympic Games preparation of 2004 in Athens many project applied to the urban and to the rural area of Attica County where Athens is the capital. The purpose of this study is to point out the main design concept of several projects and to present the main difficulties during the process of transition from design drawings to construction and the maintenance strategy. In many cases the final Design Drawings had to change in order to overcome obstacles that we have faced during the Construction. The Developer. the team of Landscape Architects and the Supervisors of a project had to cooperate and ,also had to be flexible and ready to adjust in new situations, very fast and take quick decisions and readjust their part of involvement in the project. Time was the greater enemy and dealing with the bureaucracy was a constant battle. It is though a unique lesson for everyone involved in these processes and a significant experience to all professionals that took part in these projects. It was impossible to avoid all mistakes but it is true that everybody did his best and the result amazed. Athens - Greece has moved forward in different levels after this event.