Faliron Bay Master Plan

2010–2011 | Athens GREECE

Client Stavros Niarchos Foundation / Greek Ministry of Environment, Energy & Climate Change
Architect Renzo Piano Building Workshop
Climate Adaptation Design and Engineering Guy Nordenson and Associates
Landscape Designer Catherine Seavitt Studio

Asked to create a benthic underwater landscape ("benthiscape") for the westernmost cove of Faliron Bay in Athens Greece, Guy Nordenson and Associates with Catherine Seavitt Studio proposed two archipelagos of circular and elliptical caisson islands distributed along the shallows below the water. One archipelago sits just offshore, addressing the waterfront beach, while the other is located approximately 150m from the shore, along a natural reef, creating a visual connection from pier to pier.

The inspiration for these offshore islands comes from both natural and artificial precedents: the atoll formations of collapsed underwater volcanoes; the crannógs of Scotland, which were man-made circular islands formed by rings of submerged piles filled with soils; and the stunning underwater landscapes created by amphora reefs. In addition to the caisson islands, the proposal deploys reef balls and decommissioned subway cars as ready-made structures to cultivate new reefs and support habitat in the bay.