Discovering contemporary architecture
in Paris and the Ile-de-France region,
London and Athens through real and virtual walks


The project was devised as part of the European Union’s Culture 2000 program, A.R.V.H.A. (Association for Research on the City and Habitat), the project’s French co-ordinator, in collaboration with British architects and academics from A.T.A.P. (Anne Thorne Partnership Architects) and Greek architects of "Omada 80", Consulting Architects and Urban Planners, Sotiris N. Papadopoulos, architect. The part concerning Athens is under the auspices of the Association of Greek Architects, Panhellenic Union of Architects.

The CD-ROM has several aims. Firstly, it is geared to promote and enhance contemporary architectural heritage in three European capitals. Secondly, its purpose is also to enable the general public as well as historians and architecture specialists to discover contemporary architecture in the three capitals through virtual and real itineraries. Finally it was agreed that architecture, works and projects by women would also be highlighted, so as to make their work better known and to ensure their promotion. This approach is part of an overall promotion of women architects in Europe, and was undertaken by ARVHA within the framework of the EQUAL program, which will be amplified through a European exhibition on the work of women architects to be held in Paris, Andalusia, and Bologna in 2003 and 2004.

The virtual walks through contemporary architecture are offered in three languages (French, English and Greek) and can also be accessed on the project organizers and partners’ Web sites. Information on each of the projects includes plans, photographs, an access map and the complete address, so as to provide Web users with all of the necessary practical information to travel to the projects themselves. The information is accessible by European Web users and people the world over through the internet and via the CD ROM. Just as for international visitors, the inhabitants of these three capitals and their regions may choose an itinerary and take a virtual stroll of discovery: They can also consult the web/CDROM to guide a literal walk through their city.

The architectural projects presented cover the period spanning the end of the 19th century to the present day and primarily concern:
  • Social housing (new or rehabilitated)
  • Public facilities (schools, post offices, libraries, museums, universities, ministries, etc.)
  • Buildings used for office space featuring remarkable architecture
  • Environmental projects
  • Parks and public gardens
  • The city’s relationship with its river or coastal edges (city banks and ports treatment: La Bastille port in Paris, Piraeus in Athens, the banks of the Thames in London)
  • Projects involving the participation of local people (self-managed housing)
  • Projects developed by women architects and clients
Each of the three organizations associated with the project has chosen an appropriate presentation for their city. Thus, the Greeks decided to present architectural evolution in Athens through a variety of projects (public buildings, residential buildings, public facilities, public housing with high environmental quality) covering the entire period concerned. the British team has proposed 7 walks along the Thames covering the most notable of the new buildings and districts built within the last 10 years and demonstrating the river’s influence on urban planning in London. Finally, the French contribution puts the accent on projects conducted within the last ten years that were selected in collaboration with the major Parisian project clients, on the basis of their architectural and urban qualities. The ultimate aim of this project is to make these European cities accessible in order to enrich our knowledge of European architectural heritage.