ek magazine 291 | October 2024

Thessaloniki Metro

The completion and launch of Thessaloniki’s new metro system is just around the corner, with the first main line featuring 13 stations. Among them, Venizelou Station is particularly notable due to the significant archaeological discoveries made during construction. The need for an underground railway to connect the city center with its suburbs was first proposed by Hébrard and Mawson in their urban planning study following the 1917 fire. Initial construction of the Thessaloniki Metro began in the late 1980s, but the project has been delayed repeatedly over the decades.

These delays have left key parts of the city, like Egnatia Street, in a constant state of construction, along with the disruptions that come with it. While images of the station interiors have already been shared with the public, one of the remaining challenges is the redesign of the public spaces surrounding the metro entrances and exits.

In Athens, the recent architectural competitions for the public spaces and squares at the ends of the new Line 4 stations, despite some procedural flaws, marked a significant step forward in recognizing the importance of urban design. These public areas, which will soon handle increased pedestrian traffic, must be reimagined not just as transit points but as key connectors to the city’s wider urban fabric. If the government follows through with awarding these projects to the winning architects and completes the renovations, Athens could soon have its first metro termini featuring exceptional architectural and urban design.

So, what process has Thessaloniki followed for the design of its equivalent public spaces, given the decades of disruption the metro project has caused? Even the logo competition for the Thessaloniki Metro, hastily announced, was eventually canceled.

Around the world, infrastructure and transportation projects -like metro systems- are often seen as opportunities not only to showcase technical and functional expertise but also to promote architectural excellence. The time and cost of commissioning a well-considered architectural study through a formal selection process are minimal compared to the overall budget and typical delays these projects face. Yet the value that high-quality architecture can bring to a city -enhancing the daily experience of both residents and visitors- is unquestionable.

In Greece, however, this belief is not always widely shared.

Ariadni Vozani