Unveiling Urban Narratives eLEONAS ppWebGIS - A Multifaceted Digital Storytelling Journey through Eleonas

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Published: Aug 6, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26265/jiim.v9i1.38587
Keywords:
webGIS digital storytelling Location-Based Social Networks urban development environmental planning immersive experience community engagement sustainable urban planning
Giorgos Velegrakis
Commonspace Cooperative & National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Department of History and Philosophy of Science, Greece
Thodoris Vakkas
Geospatial Enabling Technologies (GET), Greece
Antonis Faras
Commonspace Cooperative & National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Department of History and Philosophy of Science, Greece
Abstract

Purpose – Along with the implementation of the eLEONAS ppWebGIS project, an innovative digital storytelling initiative embarked on a multifaceted exploration of the Eleonas region in Attica, unveiling its unseen dimensions and weaving a captivating narrative of urban transformation. As the area undergoes a significant urban redevelopment from its industrial past, eLEONAS ppWebGIS seeks to shed light on three essential aspects: a) the often-overlooked invisible labour that shaped the region, b) the architectural significance of its building stock, and c) the intricacies of environmental and urban planning information. 


Design/methodology/approach – The current research and implementation took place under the project which mainly aimed to introduce participatory planning in the Integrated Sustainable Development Planning as a "system" that can deliver at multiple scales, while responding directly to the needs of the public. For this purpose, the participatory processes emphasized correspond to the following planning/social needs: a. prediction, b. planning and c. prioritization.


Findings – The tools developed through the project were tested around three pilot applications in the Eleonas, while supporting toolkits were created to enable the implementation of a same approach in other areas in Greece with similar characteristics. In this paper, we are focusing on the social innovation character of the methodology, which was achieved through the development of tools for re-appropriation of space by the residents themselves, namely: a. digital routes and narratives on the physical space (φ-gital) and b. Location based Social Network.


Originality/value – Through carefully curated digital routes, eLEONAS ppWebGIS introduced users to the unseen side of Eleonas, revealing the stories of the labourers whose contributions were fundamental to the area's industrial history and present. 

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Author Biographies
Giorgos Velegrakis, Commonspace Cooperative & National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Department of History and Philosophy of Science, Greece

Giorgos Velegrakis, MEng in Electrical and Computer Engineering (Electrical and Computer Engineering School, National Technical University of Athens, 2007), MSc in Environmental Policies and Development (Rural and Surveying Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 2009), and PhD in Geography and Political Ecology (Geography Department, Harokopio University Athens, 2018) is an adjunct faculty at the Philosophy and History of Science Department, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. He is member of research initiative and workers’ cooperative commonspace.

Thodoris Vakkas, Geospatial Enabling Technologies (GET), Greece

Thodoris Vakkas is head of the GET (Geospatial Enabling Technologies) application development and project implementation team. With his 10 years of experience combined with his deep expertise in the field of Geoinformatics, he supports GET's actions to design innovative high quality solutions. He holds a Diploma in Surveying Engineering (NTUA) with an MSc in Geoinformatics (NTUA).

Antonis Faras, Commonspace Cooperative & National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Department of History and Philosophy of Science, Greece

Antonis Faras is a PhD candidate at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, focusing on the practices of technological maintenance. His PhD thesis entitled: "Technological maintenance and economic alternatives: Historical and Methodological Dimensions for the Circular Economy and Sustainable Development" highlights the centrality of technological infrastructure maintenance for policies addressing critical issues of the period. A graduate of the Department of Business Administration and Management from the Athens University of Economics and Business, he completed his Master's degree in the Interdepartmental Postgraduate Program in "Science, Technology, Society-Science and Technology Studies", where he graduated with distinction. In addition to his academic achievements, he has worked at the Sociality Co-op, where he has been actively involved in various research and technology projects.

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