The evolution of land uses and population in Psyrri district

The Psyrri district is one of the oldest districts of Athens. It is bounded by the streets of Evripidou, Athinas, Ermou, Agion Asomaton, Pireos (PanagiTsaldari) and, despite its limited surface, has changed in recent years, to reflect typical transformations that exist in the wider center of Athens (Καιροφύλας 2000).

In this text, we track the spatial and social transformations which took place in the Psyrri district via a comparison of land use maps drawn in 1996 and 2019. The land uses maps of 1996 are based on a study by Attiko Metro while the corresponding maps of 2019, are based on fieldwork by the author. During the fieldwork, the uses of ground floors, upper floors, as well as the buildable open spaces were mapped separately, to give a complete picture of the area’s land uses.

The basemap for 1996, was designed with QGIS software, exactly as it was depicted in the map of Attiko Metro.

At the same time, the cartographic background for the 2019 map, was provided by ELSTAT and was edited using QGIS software to show the ground floor and upper floor uses, separately. In particular, the outlines of the buildings were redesigned and their ground floors and upper floors were labelled. The ELSTAT basemap was drawn in 2001[1], so, in some cases, the building boundary lines had to be redrawn in order to bring the map up to date.

From the first visit to the neighborhood of Psyrri, it became clear, that the area’s land use profile has changed significantly. Comparing the area’s land use maps of 1996 and 2019, one observes the changes that have occurred over a period of 23 years. These changes have significantly altered the district’s character

Psyrri land uses in 1996 and 2019

At first glance, it appears that in 1996, the area of Psyrri (Map 1) mainly hosted commercial uses and services , as well as residences. There was a large number of unbuilt plots. Map 2, which captures land uses in the district in 2019, shows that trade and services still maintain their momentum, as well as residences, which continue to be an important land use category. Catering, leisure services and tourism are nowadays among the region’s dominant and developing land uses.

Map 1: Land uses in Psyrri in 1996

Sources: ELSTAT basemap, Αttiko Μetro 1996 data, author’s analysis

Map 2: Land uses in Psyrri in 2019

Source:ELSTAT basemap, author’s data and analysis

Finally, a large number of buildings are left unused. As shown in Map 3, these are either buildings that are entirely abandoned or buildings with some abandoned floors. We can find them everywhere in the district while some streets, such as Eschilou and Aristofanous are lined up with unused buildings. These streets, as shown in picture 1 (Aristofanous Street), show signs of abandonment and degradation where homeless people and drug addicts frequent.

Map 3: Abandoned buildings and buildings with unused floors in Psyrri in 2019

Source: ELSTAT basemap, author’s data and analysis

Photo 1: Unused buildings in Aristofanous Street

Source: Author 2019

The mapping of land uses in Psyrri, reveals that abandonement follows a pattern. That is to say, abandoned buildings cluster together in the same manner that commercial shopscreate some form of cluster too (Athens Traders Association 2017/ Εμπορικός Σύλλογος Αθηνών 2017)

Comparison of land use categories

A comparison of the buildable plots in Psyrri area , reveals significant changes between 1996 and 2019 (Maps 4 and 5). In 1996, the buildable plots were one of the main categories and were located throughout the area

More specifically, in 1996, about 70 plots were identified in the area, several of them of significant size, while in 2019, only ten plots were located in the area. Buildings with a variety of land uses, are being erected today in many of those plots. The largest buildable plot is currently located in the northwest and it almost covers an entire building block. The remaining buildable plots are of limited size and are “cramped” in a dense urban fabric.

Map 4: Buildable plots in the area of Psyrri in 1996

Source: ELSTAT basemap, Αttiko Μetro 1996, Author

Map 5: Buildable plots in the area of Psyrri in 2019

Source: ELSTAT basemap, Author

The biggest change over the years can be observed in leisure and tourism services. In 1996, the buildings few buildings hosted leisure and tourism activities. On the contrary, in 2019, leisure and tourism services are among the top land uses in the area. Restaurants, bars, café are prevalent around the Iroon Square, on the East side and further South. The companies who clustered in Psyrri, are small and have the same aesthetic and cultural identity. They belong to businessmen, many of whom, in the past, did not engaged in leisure professional activities (Σουλιώτης 2009). Also, scattered throughout the area are a significant number of hotels and a growing number of short-term rental apartments. Some old buildings have been completely renovated and have been converted into tourist accommodation. These buildings are located mainly on streets with shops, restaurants and coffee-bars.

These short-term rental apartments are located either on residential floors, in buildings used as warehouses or in empty buildings that have no other use. The number of those apartments in the area is large and constantly increasing. The character of the area, focused mainly on catering, leisure and tourism services, combined with the area’s location makes it ideal for hotels and short-term rentals.

Map 6: Leisure and tourism services in Psyrri in 1996

Source: ELSTAT basemap, Αttiko Μetro 1996, Author

Map 7: Leisure and tourism services in Psyrri in 2019

Source: [2]

Photo 2: Restaurants, bars, café are prevalent in and around the Iroon Square

Source: Author 2019

Photo 3: Short-term rental apartments (on the left) and hotel (on the right) in Karaiskaki Street, which combined with catering-leisure services

Source: Author 2019

Since 1996, the craft shops and warehouses are concentrated in the area circumscribed by Sarri – Evripidou – Athinas – Ermou streets. To this day, they are still found in this section, mainly along the perimeter roads. Catering, leisure and tourism services as well as trade shops are clustering in the centre of that quarter where a large number of unused buildings also exist.

Manufacturing (handicrafts or industry), and generally the productive activities of the secondary sector, have been in constant crisis in the center of Athens since the 1970’s. A number of policies, plans and measures, have removed those activities from the area, due to environmental degradation (Βασιλοπούλου και Τριάντης 2012) and overall, due to the incompatibility with the desired character of the Historic Center. The policy goal for the centre was to become a “theme park” for the development of “mass” tourism (Μαντουβάλου 2010). More specifically, in the area, policies for the removal of small industry were promoted, through the Regulatory Plan of 1985, as well as through the Presidential Decree for the areas of Omonia – Psyrri [3]. These policies however, did not manage to attract residential uses (Βασιλοπούλου και Τριάντης 2012).

Nowadays, a limited number of small industrial units are located in the area of Psyrri, as well as several apartment buildings which accommodate warehouses (Βασιλοπούλου και Τριάντης 2012). As shown on Map 9, the majority of warehouses are located on the upper floors of such buildings. Many of these buildings are vacant or devalued and are often occupied by immigrants, homeless people and/or drug addicts.

Map 8: Small industrial units and warehouses in Psyrri in 1996

Source: ELSTAT basemap, Αttiko Μetro 1996, Author

Map 9: Small industrial units and warehouses in Psyrri in 2019

Source: ELSTAT basemap, Author