The Hellinikon, Europe’s largest urban regeneration endeavor, is poised to become a 15-minute city within Athens, Greece.
This urban planning concept aims to create cities where all essential services and amenities—such as work, education, healthcare, shops, parks, and leisure activities—are accessible within a 15-minute walk or bike ride from people’s homes.
LAMDA Development‘s ambitious vision for revitalizing the former international airport in Hellinikon encompasses the creation of an unparalleled coastal park, cutting-edge residential neighborhoods with access to integrated services, premier shopping destinations, diverse dining and entertainment venues, luxury hotels, casinos, business offices, conference centers, educational institutions, sports facilities and cultural hubs.
New residencies and the biggest park in Europe
Several projects for new residencies are being constructed including “Little Athens” which will bring approximately 1,115 new residences to the sales market in its first phase.
Lamda Development says it represents a brand-new residential approach for Athens, embodied in the neighborhood’s first 50-meter-tall residential building, Park Rise, designed by acclaimed architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG).
The Hellinikon Park will be bigger than both London’s Hyde Park and Central Park in New York City.
The park will include the Olympic Square, which will celebrate Greece’s legacy of the Olympic Games, as well as an amphitheater which can be used for events and concerts.
Additionally, the park will serve as an open-air art gallery featuring works of modern art and sculpture, particularly of Greek artists.
Greece’s Hellinikon and its impact on tourism, economy
LAMDA Development says that the Hellinikon project is expected to substantially contribute to the repositioning of Athens as one of the major world-class tourism destinations.
It will provide a significant number of new accommodation landmarks, as well as thematic tourism venues, expected to attract at least 1 million new tourists while significantly reducing seasonality and at the same time increasing the average stay and spending of tourists in Athens.
The ongoing project is expected to contribute to the country’s GDP by 2.4 percent until the development’s completion date, and will also add a total of over €14 bn in tax revenues to the Greek State over the same time frame, LAMDA Development claims.
Critics dispute Greece’s Hellinikon as a 15-minute City
The Hellinikon development in Athens incorporates some aspects of the 15-minute city concept but does not fully align with its principles, some critics say.
The luxury housing, casinos, and upscale facilities cater predominantly to affluent residents and tourists. This focus contrasts with the 15-minute city’s emphasis on equitable access for diverse populations.
While designed to be a self-contained district, Hellinikon’s vast size and ambitious scope may make it more of a specialized hub than a truly localized community where residents can meet all daily needs.
In addition, the development relies on significant transportation links to Athens and beyond, indicating it functions partly as a destination rather than a fully self-sufficient neighborhood.
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