The Aegean Islands: Sustainable Human-environmental Transformations from Antiquity to the Anthropocene

The Aegean islands are experiencing the dramatic effects of climate change, including droughts, heatwaves, wildfires, rising seas, and massive migration from nearby failing states. Yet, Greece plans to achieve net zero by 2050 and create Europe’s largest network of sustainable, off-grid island communities. Ancient and traditional Greek settlements, beautifully and effectively designed for specific climate and place, can guide this transformation. Urban density, climate-appropriate architectural typologies, passive solar design, local, natural, and durable materials, rainwater collection, and wind-powered transportation were the norm. This project examines human-environmental transformations from ancient to contemporary Greek settlements to imagine a sustainable future for Greece’s 200 inhabited islands.