Squaring the circle

People will most certainly love the revamped Omonia Square at the heart of Athens. Any comparison with what had been in its place over the past 15 years would, after all, be devastating. Sure, we must pay heed to the objections raised by architects, which are legitimate from an institutional point of view: An architecture tender should proceed a project of this magnitude.

However, such concerns have to be measured against reality. The square as we knew it, as well as the design that had been favored by the previous municipal authority before it was abandoned, were both bankrupt. The people were fed up with the situation all these years and the damage done to Omonia was irreversible. New Athens Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis was aware of the facts. So he decided to move fast and try out a tested solution that would establish an emotional connection with the citizens of the capital....