On the 2nd of February 2026, LaSTcity – Laboratory of Urban Social Transformations, hosted at the National Centre for Social Research (EKKE), had the pleasure of welcoming a delegation from the Master’s programme of the University of Liechtenstein. The visit brought together twenty-four participants—twenty graduate students and four instructors—as part of their academic studio entitled “Athens Everyday Modernity”, within the broader framework of the design studio “Gamprin, After the Last Track”.
The delegation was led by Doz. Oscar Buson and Doz. Felix Ledergerber, accompanied by Dr. Olga Balaoura and Alkistis Thomidou, who coordinated the laboratory activities. The study trip to Athens forms part of the programme’s pedagogical approach, which integrates design research with direct engagement in diverse European urban contexts, encouraging students to critically reflect on everyday urbanity, spatial practices, and socio-territorial transformations.
The session at the Institute featured two presentations. The first, delivered by Fereniki Vatavali, introduced the research agenda and methodological framework of LaSTcity – Laboratory of Urban Social Transformations, outlining its focus on socio-spatial inequalities, housing transformations, and the multi-scalar analysis of urban change in Athens. Emphasis was placed on the laboratory’s interdisciplinary approach and its integration of empirical research with cartographic and spatial analysis tools. The second presentation, delivered by Stavros Spyrellis, presented the Athens Social Atlas digital platform, outlining its structure and objectives. It showed how thematic maps and socio-demographic data are combined to provide an analytically grounded overview of Athens’ socio-spatial structure, emphasizing the platform’s role as both a research tool and a public resource.