A Japanese-style Zen garden has been created in the Pangrati district, in the centre of Athens, to enrich the green space that sits within the capital’s bustling urban fabric, surrounded by imposing buildings, museums and factories. The garden is filled with lush vegetation paired with elements that represent water, in the classic Japanese tradition. It was designed by landscape architecture firm Ecoscapes and was inspired by the ancient Japanese green parks that date back thousands of years.

Plants native to Japan and the Mediterranean grow here together: Japanese maples, cherry trees and bamboo share the land with myrtle and daphne shrubs. The mix of different tree varieties adds colour and texture along the park’s main path. Gravel and rock paths lead to the best views of the garden and move in sweeping curves to represent flowing dry “rivers”. A pine tree welcomes visitors at the main entrance, while granite benches mark out a space for meeting and socializing.

The concept by lighting design company Nea Polis was based on a desire for visitors to experience peace and tranquillity in a redeveloped corner of the city – a small green oasis between the buildings, where they can relax for a moment. To ensure that these requirements were met, the company chose Bright 2.4 outdoor recessed fixtures with honeycomb louvres, installed at the base of the plants to illuminate them bottom to top. In a customized version with amber-coloured LEDs, so with a warm light output, they ensure the circadian cycles of both people and animals are better respected. Post-mounted Ginko 3.0 projectors, 3000K with asymmetrical snoots, light from above the areas with benches for socializing. Their 48° sharp optics with shadow-effect filters realistically recreate the effect of sunlight shining through the foliage of the trees.