New lease on life for two emblematic PPC stations [photos]

The two emblematic industrial monuments of PPC in Faliro and Keratsini, parts of the memory of Piraeus, which are inextricably linked to the development of the whole country, are getting a new lease on life. Respecting their history, the company has in the works a plan for the rescue, revival and reuse of the two steam power plants.

The central idea of ​​the design is not to “museumize” the spaces but to turn them into living and functional monuments, integrating them in the urban fabric, as organic parts of the city, and giving to the citizens of the Piraeus peninsula, but also the whole of Attica, public, open and hospitable facilities, in the standards of the Culture Park “Stavros Niarchos”.

This is the direction given to the researchers, who are expected to deliver the preliminary design in about four months. The central idea, regarding the construction part, is that these two gems of  Greek industrial heritage are to be preserved and to be highlighted with gentle interventions, turning them into buildings with almost zero emissions. In relation to their uses, a cl cultural cluster is designed that will combine artistic, museum, scientific functions, with emphasis on innovation.

In dialogue with society

The notion of “Culture” will be divided between the museum but also a modern, dynamic, artistic department that will open a dialogue with society and new currents. The rich archival material of PPC will be presented in outdoor and indoor areas. Outdoor installations will exhibit machines, tools and equipment, “mementos” of the country’s electrification history. Sensitive objects will be exhibited in protected interiors, such as paintings and photographs of Greek artists who worked at PPC or collaborated with it, capturing key milestones in the development of the business.

These include works by the painters Dimitris Megalidis, Spyros Vassiliou, who from 1964 to 1973 had undertaken the design of the stand of the company at the TIF, the sculptor Christos Kapralos, who created the Monument to the Fallen in the Battle of the PPC in Keratsini, and many others. The historical archive of PPC is also rich in photographs that capture its work from the inside of the mines to the high pillars, such as George Dorkofikis, Emile (Emilios Serafis) or the great photographer Costas Balafas, who since 1951 had been in charge of the Imaging Department for 30 years. Also, in the premises of the two factories, exhibitions or events of municipalities, institutions or companies can be hosted.

With emphasis on innovation

In any case, the facilities in Faliro and Keratsini will be interdependent venues. In these, in addition to cultural activities, an innovation center will be developed, in collaboration with a research institute (eg “Democritus”), but also with technological giants, such as e.g. General Electric, with which PPC already cooperates. The rationale is to operate on the logic of transient exhibitions, with material presentations that will refer to tomorrow, with the help of digital technologies so that the visitor can participate using virtual reality, holograms, etc. The aim is to broaden the horizons of the public and see how a technology they use today (eg a self-generating system with photovoltaics) will work in the future, based on scientific research and development. PPC is also in discussions for the permanent co-location of a branch of an academic or research institution in one of the two facilities, most likely in that of Keratsini.

© PPC Historical ArchiveThe buildings will also have cafes and restaurants. As a senior executive of the company typically stated to “Vima” newspaper, “we want Greek families to be able to make a day trip to the premises of the Faliro and Keratsini substations, where there will be activities for all its members”. It will also be easy to access, without a car. For Keratsini, PPC is still in search of the best solution. For Faliro, however, some initial discussions have taken place with metro handler STASY, so that in the context of the planned undergrounding of the section of the electric railway Faliro – Piraeus, a new stop will be created near the HPP, the construction cost of which will be covered by PPC.

Project schedule

In four months, when the preliminary design has been delivered, the competition for the study will follow. According to the initial schedule, after six to eight months the master plan is estimated to be completed, tenders will be announced for the renovation of the buildings, so that in the middle of 2023 the contractors will have emerged. The intention of PPC is for the construction site to be visited for organized guided tours, in order to enable the public to follow the construction development of the project and how it will eventually be shaped.

© PPC Historical ArchiveThe Battle of the PPC

The Agios Georgios substation began to be built in 1926 and was put into operation in 1929 as the central power station of the Basin. The factory was commandeered during the Occupation and after the Battle of the PPC in which ELAS forces and armed PPC workers  battled Nazi soldiers it was saved from the explosion planned by the Germans during their retreat.

What did you do at the Faliro substation, Thanasis?

The Faliro substation was founded in 1903 to cover the electricity needs of the capital. The group is particularly connected with the history of the trade union movement of Greece, as in it began in 1916 the first militant strike mobilization in the field of electricity production. In 1972 it ceased operations permanently. The summer of 1971 was preceded by the shooting of much of Dinos Katsouridis’s film “What did you do during the war, Thanasis” starring Thanasis Vengos. The place meant a lot to the great comedian, as his father, Vassilis Vengos, worked at the Faliro substation and as a member of ELAS contributed to the rescue of the facilities from the Germans. In 1986 the complex was declared a protected monument, but only the “T” substation was restored. However, in the early 1990s, asbestos was found and the main building was sealed until it was removed, about a decade later.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, an exhibition of 32 works by artists that qualified for the final phase of the “PPC Meets Art” competition starts at its premises.