Syntagma Square makeover starts coming together

People walk on the Ermou Street side of Syntagma Square, on Thursday, as a revamp of the lower part of the Athens plaza across from Parliament starts coming together. A chief part of the project consists of widening the sidewalks and creating a 3,600 sq.m. esplanade, with a more user-friendly pedestrian crossing and better access for people in wheelchairs. In terms of the microclimate, the project foresees the planting of 24 new shade-providing trees and two pergola-style shelters – which will mainly be used by the adjacent cafes and eateries for seating – while heat-resistant materials have been used on the surface. [Yiannis Liakos/InTime News]