The problem of congestion of the central campus of the University of Thessaloniki is known at least since the early 80s. Despite efforts to re-design the central campus, the pressure for new sites is still high. The only effective solution to this problem of congestion is the “discovery” of a new campus, large enough to accommodate in the future at least one of the major schools of the University, in particular the School of Engineering considering the relative autonomy of its subject and the extremely unfavourable situation in terms of its existing spaces in today’s University of Thessaloniki.

Having all these in mind the Dean of the School of Engineering introduced the Commission on Spatial Development, coordinated by Prof. A. Naniopoulos, aiming to assess the future needs of the School and to search for the perfect site. The Commission's dominating solutions were two former military camps, Karatasiou and Sedes.

Former Karatasiou camp is located in the northeast boundary of the City of Polychni, adjacent to the ring road of Thessaloniki, opposite of the "Papageorgiou" Hospital and the military hospital "424".The ex-camp has an area of 692 acres increased by 78 acres of the delimited stream that flows almost all along the southern side. The City of Polychni has already defined an area of 120 acres with about 15 existing buildings in which plans to develop cultural and sports activities.

Since the proximity to the hospitals advocates the establishment in the same site of an academic unit of the Medical School, with the prospect of research collaboration between bio-medical and polytechnic academic units, the Senate of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki assigned a research pilot study for detailed proposals on land use of the former Karatasiou camp. The study, completed in late 2009, with the overall responsibility of Professor A.M Kotsiopoulos and for urban planning issues of Professor A. F. Lagopoulos, proposes a solution regarding planning, building programming, land use and development of buildings and outdoor spaces, which at the same time:

(a) utilizes the existing buildings of the former camp

(b) provides the smallest possible mass of construction to meet the needs of the new campus, and

(c) returns more than 50% of the former camp as a unified metropolitan park in continuity with Thessaloniki’s suburban green belt

The main arguments supporting this proposal are:

The demand for a major cultural and educational installation at the heart of the western side of Thessaloniki in order to balance the city’s uneven development in favour of its eastern side.

The existence of an important public use in the former camp Karatasiou - as all free spaces of this magnitude at risk of abandonment - will serve as a safety valve and will guarantee the development and the maintenance of the metropolitan park.

It is noted that the net area of the metropolitan park will be around 350 acres, which means more than 50% of the former camp, while the average maximum built area according to the Master Plan, will be about 13%, including all uses, academic and cultural. The maximum local rate of built areas of higher density will not exceed 1.0 while the average rate of built areas throughout the camp will not exceed 0.45.

The proximity of the University to the hospitals will help both sides, by the prospect of research collaboration but will also help the development of the city in general, providing the necessary infrastructure like large underground parking and attracting the metro line.