The objective of our proposal is to create a notional spiral taking shape from the walkway, serving as an earthly representation of the structure of the universe. The spiral, shaped like a vortex and twister, represents the constant motion and transformation of the universe, which creates and destroys planets, suns, and whole galaxies in the course of its evolution.
The spiral is a shape reminiscent of both order, as a particular form, and disorder, since it has neither beginning, nor end. It refers to the static circular arrangement, as well as its constant evolution, both embedded in the dynamics of time.
As regards the specific area of the Hill of Nymphs, this particular notional shape is fitting for the natural and artificial landscape due to the following reasons:
The natural formation of the rock, as the hill's oldest morphological element, forms a notional spiral beginning from the rock with the inscription and goes on to surround the Hansen building, so that it can afterwards define the northern limit of the observatory area.
Other than Hansen building's center of symmetry which, as the location of the telescope, is the point where Earth and the universe come into contact, all other buildings – even the Hansen building with its cross-shaped plan – are secondary facilities which aren't included in our proposed spiral, although they open out into it in various locations.
Building Infrastacture
Both the Sinas building and the Meridian Telescope building will be directly integrated in the walkway's theme.
The buildings of the Secretariat, the Ionospheric Institute and the Institute of Geodynamics will be included in the astrogeophysical walkway in the next phase of its development.
The Central Administration buildings, as well as the gatehouse and our proposed souvenir shop will be auxiliary buildings not integrated in the walkway; they will, however, be designated as historical and functional buildings of anchorage of the National Observatory of Athens in the Hill of Nymphs.
(Collaborators: V.Ganiatsas / Ch.Stauropoulou / St.Zerefos)