Innovative proposals for cooling and revitalizing Athens in the face of the climate crisis were presented by Professor Bas Smets, as part of a research project he conducted with his students at Harvard University. The event took place on Friday, October 24, at the Kypseli Municipal Market, within the framework of the City of Athens’ Cooling Athens program.
Presenting the city’s vision, the Mayor of Athens, Haris Doukas, stated:
“Athens is on the front line of the battle against the climate crisis. In a city that lacks large green spaces, we are investing in innovative solutions to reduce temperatures and improve residents’ quality of life. From the ASCEND pilot cities program and the innovative Cooling Havens project to the Double Regeneration in Elaionas and the energy upgrades of our schools, we are moving forward with projects that combine greenery, water, and technology.
With the new Athens Climate Pact and our participation in the 100 Climate-Neutral Cities of Europe initiative, we are committed to reducing emissions by 80% by 2030. The collaboration with Harvard and Professor Bas Smets paves the way for a cooler, more sustainable, and more resilient Athens – a city that learns, innovates, and leads by example.”
Bas Smets, landscape architect and professor at Harvard University, known among other works for designing the public space around Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, noted:
“Climate adaptation in cities is not only a technical matter; it is also a matter of culture and our relationship with nature. In Athens, light, soil, and greenery can work harmoniously to create a new experience of public space through mechanisms that generate microclimates. The study and the interventions implemented over the past 20 years in major European cities provide valuable knowledge that we can apply in areas such as Plaka and Varvakeios.”
The President of DAEM S.A., Evangelos Marinakis, emphasized:
“The proposals by Bas Smets show in practice how landscape design can decisively influence an area’s microclimate. Such interventions demonstrate that a holistic approach to the urban landscape can significantly reduce temperatures in the city center. Surface temperature, in particular, can drop dramatically, while the perceived temperature — the heat we actually feel — becomes much more tolerable. It’s not a myth; it’s achievable, as we also saw with other interventions by the City of Athens this past summer.”
The two proposals for cooling Athens
Due to its geographical position in the heart of the Mediterranean, Athens is on the front line of Europe’s climate crisis. With the increasing frequency of heatwaves, implementing measures that make the city more resilient to high temperatures is more necessary than ever. This is precisely what the Cooling Athens initiative of the City of Athens seeks to highlight, presenting research by Bas Smets and his Harvard students, as well as two design proposals developed by his studio for the municipality.
The Harvard professor’s research examines how landscape can function as a dynamic element of the microclimate, transforming the urban fabric into a living system that cools and shades the city. Together with his students, he explores Athens’ climatic conditions over the period from 2025 to 2100, considering four climate scenarios with temperature increases ranging from +2°C to +5°C.
By activating soil, water, and vegetation, they propose nature-based strategies (Nature-Based Solutions) to address urban overheating and to revitalize the historic center. A key focus of the study is the so-called UTCI index — the human-perceived temperature that accounts for factors such as humidity and wind speed — which can serve as a strategic foundation for Athens. By placing landscape at the core of urban design for a more resilient and sustainable city, the research concludes with two main proposals for the “cooling” and revitalization of Athens:
Plaka Green Canopy: A network of climbing plants extending through the narrow streets of Plaka creates natural shading for public spaces and building façades.
Varvakeios Urban Forest: By creating a park above the existing parking area, a “hard” surface is transformed into an “urban forest,” producing a cooler microclimate. This new space becomes a public area for recreation and relaxation.
Who is Bas Smets
Bas Smets is a civil engineer with a background in landscape architecture and teaches at Harvard University, where he leads research programs on urban climate resilience. He founded his firm in 2007 and has since completed more than 50 projects worldwide. His team consists of 25 architects and landscape architects. His work covers a wide range — from private developments to major infrastructure and landscape projects.
He has designed green spaces and parks in cities such as Paris, Brussels, London, and Himara. In 2022, he won the international competition for the redesign of the public space around Notre-Dame Cathedral in France.
Supported by three European projects: EUI–Cooling Havens, Net Zero Cities Pilot Programme ASCEND, and ENERTEF.
