Greek National Tourist Organisation beach

Vouliagmeni, 1959-61

Architects
Prokopios Vassiliadis (1912-1977)
Pericles Sakellarios (1903-1985)
Emmanuel Vourekas (1905-1993)
Associate architect
Nikos P. Hatzimichalis (1923-1986)



The Greek National Tourist Organisation Beach at Vouliagmeni was an original and highly influential work by the distinguished architects P. Vassiliadis, P. Sakellarios, E. Vourekas and their young associate N.P. Hatzimichalis. It comprised the swimming facilities which can accommodate up to 10,000 persons per day and two restaurants, the Oceanis on the west side of the beach and the Argo its east side.
The swimming facilities include four buildings with individual dressing rooms, central clothing storage places, sheltered areas and service areas – showers, WCs etc.- gathered into two groups. Of particular interest is the landscaping of the large open-air and semi-open-air spaces overlooking the sea. The stylistic treatment of the complex is modern and cosmopolitan in accordance with the ideas of the times. Structural elements consist of metal columns and pleated concrete slabs. The small scale of the refreshment facilities and the use of light structures contributed to integrating the complex into the environment while retaining both the human scale and the environment dictated by the landscape.
The restaurants Oceanis and Argo have two façades and entrances, one leading to the road and the other overlooking the beach, permitting communication between them.
These are structures with particular stylistic interest, built of reinforced concrete, steel poles, plastered or stone-faced walls and roofed by a pleated shell.

TRANSPORTATION