Design Enabled Innovation for Local Authorities -The Vari-Voula-Vouliagmeni case study

Speakers meeting link: https://bit.ly/36uVRwF | Meeting attendants: Facebook live at https://www.facebook.com/designscapesproject/

17:30-17:45 Welcome and introduction to DESIGNSCAPES project
(Mary Krimnianioti, EGTC EFXINI POLI)
17:45-18:00 The new Bauhaus for local authorities
(Grazia Concilio, POLIMI)
18:00-18:15 Presentation of the pilot project in Voula-Vari-Vouliagmeni
(Grigoris Konstantellos, Municipality of Vari-Voula-Vouliagmeni)
18:15-18:30 Discussion on obstacles and possible benefits of Design enabled Innovation in the local leve

Our speakers

Maria Krimnianioti graduated from Athens University of Economics and Business, Department of Management Science and Technology in 2005. In 2008 she graduated from Manchester Business School, The University of Manchester and received MSc in Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations. During the period 2005-2007 she worked in the management of training programs for unemployed people while since 2008 onwards, she has been working on European projects management, working closely with Local and Regional authorities. As part of her job, she has been coordinating partnership schemes among public and private authorities from several European countries.

Grazia Concilio, Associate Professor at DAStU – Department of Architecture and Urban Studies of Politecnico di Milano – works on innovative processes in urban contexts, integrating urban planning, technological and digital innovation as a shared learning process. She has been scientific coordinator for POLIMI of the Periphèria, MyNeighborhood|MyCity (FP7), Open4Citizens, DESIGNSCAPES, Polivisu and MESOC (Horizon 2020 funded) projects and Coordinator of easyRights project also funded by the EU Horizon 2020 programme.

Grigoris Konstantellos, Mayor of Vari-Voula-Vouliagmeni Municipality since 2014, President of European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation EFXINI POLI. He has studied Public Administration in Panteion University, he holds a MSc in Air Transport Management from City University, London and a Phd in Management Science from International School of Management (I.S.M) in Paris.

The case of Vari Voula Vouliagmeni has been an attempt to experiment with design thinking in solving an urgent and unprecedented problem of the Municipality of Vari Voula Vouliagmeni close to Athens. During summer period and especially weekends thousands of people either tourists or people living in Attiki Region and especially those who are far away from the sea, visit the Municipality’s beaches, resulting in overcrowding.

Due to COVID-19 several measures are foreseen for the beaches whose management has been subcontracted to an authority or a company ensuring social distancing, while a mechanism to monitor those of free access is still missing.

The team of DESIGNSCAPES in cooperation with the Municipality attempted to design a set of measures that would contribute to more safety at the beach and less probability of contagion.

The presentation of the Greek pilot action is going to be combined with the presentation of the European Bauhaus initiative by Professor Grazia Concilio from Poitecnico di Milano, in order to emphasise the adoption of Design in the resolution of contemporary problems of the local level and the role that Local Authorities can undertake.

The event will involve representatives from three EGTCs with member Municipalities from South Europe, most of them coming from Greece. The main issue of discussion will be how design enabled innovation can be applied in and by Local Authorities to solve contemporary problems.