Citizens’ Town Hall by Eleftheria Lampropoulou

Citizens’ Town Hall by Eleftheria Lampropoulou explores how architecture can support participatory democracy in Athens. The project asks what a civic building could become if citizens were invited into the planning process, not left outside it.

The proposal responds to the pressure of unrestrained construction and the feeling that decisions about the city can happen away from the people who live with the consequences.

A civic building for participation

The project draws on the idea of the right to the city and turns it into a spatial brief. Instead of treating participation as a meeting after the design is finished, Citizens’ Town Hall makes participation the reason for the building.

• Spaces for playful engagement and civic discussion.
• Flexible setups that allow different forms of public use.
• Atriums that create visual connections between levels.
• Cultural event spaces that make the building part of everyday public life.
• Facade louvres that act as both climatic device and symbol of participation.

Why play belongs in the project

The connection between play and planning is one of the stronger ideas here. Play gives people a way to test rules, roles and possibilities. In a civic design context, that can make urban planning feel more open, understandable and shared.

Portfolio lesson

For a Part II portfolio, a project like this needs a clear civic argument and clear architectural evidence. The reader should be able to see how the plan, section, atriums, facade and programme all support the same democratic idea.

Next step

Architecture Social Showcase is built for projects with a clear idea, a strong visual story and something useful for the wider architecture community to learn from.