Restaurant Seating
The issue of municipal authorities allocating public space for restaurant seating has periodically drawn media attention, primarily due to the extensive areas they occupy. During the Covid-19 pandemic, businesses were allocated such vast areas that accessibility issues arose, with sidewalks, pedestrian streets, and small squares being fully occupied. Has this additional space, granted due to the emergency, ever been returned to the public since the end of the pandemic?
Restaurant seating also requires shading structures, which should be addressed by the authorities as elements of urban infrastructure, with strict specifications on type, color, and design imposed on business owners. However, mismatched awnings, pergolas, and umbrellas flood public spaces, often harshly intruding on the city’s aesthetics and the character of central squares or coastal areas in tourist destinations.
Adding to this are various unauthorized modifications (from plastic membranes to full glass enclosures) to create indoor conditions during the winter months, further exacerbating the problem. In many monumental and historic squares in Europe, such constructions are prohibited, as seen in St. Mark’s Square in Venice. The seating there is entirely in the open air, without shading structures, let alone enclosed “rooms” that often double the business’s square footage at the expense of public space. In historic squares in Greece, when such structures are necessary, they should be subject to high-quality architectural design and implementation.
Although several companies in Greece and Europe offer well-designed products, the problem is not merely choosing the most suitable ones. The arrangement of shading structures -which directly relates to the space they occupy- and ensuring they are perceived as temporary, reversible, and lightweight constructions are crucial for the city’s image, as well as their maintenance.
More importantly, the authorities must remain vigilant and intervene effectively against all forms of illegality: enforcing the law in cases of vandalism, unauthorized additions, or encroachments is not an architectural issue. Without such enforcement, even the most flawless construction cannot reverse the degradation of public space.
Ariadni Vozani