Measuring and Mapping Vertical Segregation in Athens

Athens offers a relatively homogeneous urban setting where vertical segregation can be easily traced. The high-rise part of the city, covering its broad center and the center of Piraeus is hosting about 34% of its population in 2011. This area is dominated by a common type of apartment blocks (polykatoikies) whose structure fosters vertical segregation due to the unequal quality of housing by floor. Polykatoikies are usually built on small lots –often smaller than 500m2– and comprise an average of 15 apartments, distributed in five to seven floors. The bulk of this stock was built between 1960 and 1980 and can be vertically divided in three parts: (i) The bottom (ground floor and semi basement) comprise the smallest and less appealing apartments; (ii) The middle part (1st to 3rd floor) with medium sized apartments providing average housing conditions and, (iii) the top (4th floor or higher) with big apartments enjoying views and large verandas (retirés) due to their withdrawal from the façade line to enable the pass of daylight to lower floors. Housing quality differences among these three parts were intensified by the densification of the urban tissue which heightened the disadvantage of living on lower floors due to the scarcity of daylight, the amplified noise, the small apartment size and the complete absence of view.