The Hellinikon project in Athens, Greece, aimed to transform a decommissioned airport into a multi-purpose park. Pentagram's New York City office was engaged to provide comprehensive planning and design expertise for the 600-acre park. My responsibilities included conceptualizing wayfinding signage and developing all associated visual assets to effectively communicate these concepts. In addition to design work, I contributed extensive research, strategic planning, and presentation support.
Three concepts were created to reflect the site's history and context: The first concept explored reusing the concrete from the airstrips and repurposing it into a wayfinding system. Initial studies focused on how a single module could be reconfigured into various forms.
The repurposed concrete evolved into a more diverse range of sign types, incorporating studies that examined carving techniques and the addition of applied metal panels, both inset and outboard.
The second concept was an expression of the common Greek shading device, the trellis.
The third concept, which was favored by the client, paid homage to the Olympic Games, originally held in Olympia, Greece from 776 BC to 393 AD and revived in Athens in 1896. This concept gained its form inspiration from the Olympic torch.
The third concept was favored by the client and evolved from the torch inspiring the vertical structures to the torch's tapering inspiring the form holding the message. A color-coding system was incorporated to subtly differentiate park zones from waterfront areas. The intense sun exposure in Greece influenced the placement of colors on the signage.
