Pittaki Street, Athens

Pittaki Street is an excellent example of how local resources can be used to transform a no-go area into an attractive destination. Until recently, Pittaki street had been a dimly-lit and little-used alley. Determined to change this, local design company Before Light and non-profit organisation Imagine the City collected old lamps from local residents, retrofitted them with new wiring and made them weatherproof. With its many lamps suspended from cables, Pittaki Street now resembles a living room, an effect which is reinforced by the pictures of a bed, fridge, table and other pieces of furniture painted on the walls. Thanks to its residents, Pittaki Street is now a lively public space which also attracts visitors from further afield.