Athens, Greece

Energy & mobility in a densely populated area

Revitalizing the historic Kypseli district by transforming its Municipal Market into a climate resilience lighthouse and co-creating a green, inclusive neighborhood.

Type

District (6th District)

Population

126,151 residents

Landmark

Municipal Market (1934)

Context & challenges

Kypseli, Athens’ most populous district, is a vibrant multicultural area that faces significant urban challenges due to its high density. The district suffers from a lack of public space, heavy traffic congestion, and “anarchic” parking, which degrade the quality of life.

Urban heat island

The dense fabric of apartment blocks and narrow streets exacerbates heat and reduces air quality.

Social disparities

Historically home to migrant and underprivileged communities, the area requires inclusive strategies to foster engagement.

Aging infrastructure

While the Municipal Market is a cultural hub, the surrounding energy and mobility infrastructure needs modernization to meet climate goals.

BLUEPRINT aims to release these tensions by uniting stakeholders to address energy efficiency and mobility through the lens of social innovation.

Planned interventions

The intervention centers on the Municipal Market of Kypseli as a catalyst for district-wide transformation.

🏛️ Climate resilience lighthouse: renovating the Municipal Market with renewable energy systems (solar roofs) and community energy-sharing platforms to serve as a prototype for urban resilience.

🚲 15-minute city mobility: redesigning the district for better pedestrian and cycling access, promoting shared mobility solutions to reclaim streets from congestion.

Energy community development: establishing a collaborative energy community to optimize self-consumption of solar energy for residents and local SMEs.

🔋 EV infrastructure integration: installing electric vehicle chargers and smart energy systems to support the transition to green mobility.

🤝 Grassroots-led sustainability: partnering with local activist groups (e.g., “Kypseli mas”) and businesses to co-design interventions that align with the neighborhood’s unique identity.

Local partnership

The pilot is driven by a strong public-private collaboration leveraging city-scale decision power and community innovation:

DIMOS ATHINAION EPICHEIRISI MICHANOGRAFISIS

DAEM (lead pilot partner)

The City of Athens IT Company, bringing expertise in citizen science, digital transformation, and city-scale implementation.

IMPACT HUB LABS

Impact Hub Athens

A catalyst for social entrepreneurship, leading community building and engagement strategies within the Municipal Market.

City of Athens

City of Athens

Supporting through its resilience agencies and services to ensure institutional alignment.