GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE GREEK MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY & CLIMATE CHANGE -in charge of Spatial Planning, Urban Development and Architecture
Nov. 2009 - July 2012

Major tasks and contributions:

• Production of a new national Building Code (in effect today) adopting green parameters, and setting new formal possibilities for buildings

• Institution of new procedures to license buildings and apply controls. Production of the necessary framework for electronic licensing and for the provision of electronic IDs for all existing buildings in the future

• Development of measures to control and regulate informal buildings, developing electronic platforms in collaboration with the TEE (Technical Chamber of Greece)

• The Programs "Athens-Attica 2014" and “Thessaloniki 2012”, frameworks for sustainable urban interventions

• Preparation -in collaboration with relevant Ministries and authorities- of the strategic projects for the metropolitan park at Faliro Bay, and the reorganization of the city center along the axis of Panepistimiou St. in Athens

• National sectoral spatial plan for Aquaculture and evaluation of the sectoral spatial plan for Tourism Development; review of regional spatial plans

• Institution of economic incentives -in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance- to assist the rehabilitation of old building stock and the re-habitation of lagging regions in Athens’ center (Gerani - Kerameikos - Metaxourgeio)

• Development of regulatory plans for cities (Volos, Larissa, Ionnina, Herakleio); collaboration with ORSA and ORTHE, the organizations developing new regulatory plans for the metropolitan regions of Athens and Thessaloniki

• Collaboration with EAXA SA, the company responsible for the unification of Athenian archaeological sites and rehabilitation projects throughout Greece

• Issue of specifications for the “Design of Integrated Urban Developments” (SOAP)

• Regulation of Evripidous St. land uses to preserve its identity; institution of the possibility to “partial list” a heritage building (listing of the first 30 such informal buildings in Kerameikos-Metaxourgeio)

• Institution of a “Department of Architecture” at the Ministry, and of two Central Councils distinct for Architecture and Urban Planning

• New framework for architectural competitions regarding design of state funded projects; announcement of several architectural competitions through the Ministry and its affiliated bodies

• Invitation to host the CEMAT 2014 event in Greece

• Permanent assignment to the Ministry of the responsibility to appoint the national curator-representation to the VENICE ARCHITECTURE BIENNALE (implementation of selection procedures for 2010 and 2012)

• Creation of urban landmarks by painting blind building facades to charge public interest and provoke dialog (in collaboration with ASKT-Athens Fine Arts School)