Astir Marina was the first marina in Greece developed exclusively for tourist vessels. Built in Vouliagmeni during the early 1960s, it occupies a coastal site distinguished by its natural landscape and archaeological significance.

Its redevelopment began in 2013 with two principal objectives. The existing port infrastructure had to accommodate the increased operational requirements of a home port for mega and superyachts. At the same time, the land zone was reimagined as a destination combining tourism, leisure, retail, dining and marina administration.

KSE Studio prepared the preliminary master plan for the land zone. AETER Architects subsequently developed the final land-zone master plan and designed the new buildings. Neiheiser Argyros were responsible for the landscape architecture and public realm.

The port works were delivered in 2023, while construction on the land zone was completed in May 2024.

 

 

A new programme along the waterfront

The redevelopment addresses two interconnected areas: the reconstruction and improvement of the existing port facilities and the complete reorganization of the land zone.

The latter contains 4,800m² of enclosed spaces accommodating tourism, retail, dining and marina-management functions. The outdoor areas, pedestrian routes and shared spaces were treated as an equally important part of the architectural programme.

To prevent parking from occupying a substantial part of the available open ground, a 156-space underground facility was placed beneath the central plaza. Its position within a steeply inclined section of the site reduces the visual presence of vehicles and preserves the relationship between the buildings, landscape and waterfront.

The new programme is distributed among a sequence of buildings and open plazas. Together, they establish a continuous public route along the central quay and connect the commercial areas with the marina’s operational facilities.

Buildings informed by the language of yachts

For AETER Architects, the form and materiality of the vessels using the marina provided a point of departure for the architectural language.

The façades are characterized by curved, folded and inclined surfaces formed in smooth white exposed concrete. Their changing geometry evokes movement and gives the buildings a different appearance as visitors move along the quays and public routes.

The materials associated with contemporary yachts also informed the treatment of the architectural surfaces. White concrete, extensive glazing, reflective finishes and darker metallic elements create contrasts between solidity, transparency and sheen.

Two central buildings containing retail and dining uses define the principal public space along the waterfront. Their broad overhangs and terraces extend the interior programme outdoors, while preserving uninterrupted views towards the marina.

To the northwest, the two-storey administration building and marina control tower form a more sculptural composition. A broad, almost ceremonial ascent leads to the accessible upper roof, which becomes an elevated viewpoint over the harbour and the Saronic Gulf.

Smaller buildings accommodating supporting functions complete the complex through a more restrained interpretation of the same architectural vocabulary.

 

 

From historical maps to a new public realm

The landscape design by Neiheiser Argyros begins with the proposition that “the map is the territory.” Historical topographic records and old nautical charts were used to retrieve earlier contour lines associated with the site.

These traces informed the main routes, paving patterns and planted zones. Landscape is therefore not applied as a decorative layer around the buildings. Instead, it becomes a continuous system that organizes movement, orientation and the transition between the hillside and the water.

Clusters of planted “islands” form buffers between vehicle circulation, parking areas and the waterfront. They also extend the vegetation of the adjoining slope towards the lower quays.

The paving incorporates irregular marble fragments sourced from nearby quarries. Their variations in scale, geometry and tone emphasize an ad hoc and handcrafted quality associated with the material character of the coastal pine forest.

The placement of the buildings defines a sequence of open plazas coordinated with the planting and the sea. Within the retail and dining zone, the two principal buildings frame the most significant shared space along the waterfront.

Bioclimatic strategies and planted roofs

The buildings employ a series of environmental strategies intended to reduce energy demand. Glazed surfaces support passive solar gain during winter, while deep overhangs, canopies and louvers protect the interiors from direct summer sunlight.

Extensive planted roofs continue the landscape across the upper surfaces of the buildings. They connect the architecture visually with the vegetation of the peninsula and soften the distinction between built and planted areas.

The artificial-lighting strategy responds to the coexistence of several different programmes. It reinforces the identity and hierarchy of the individual buildings while establishing continuity among plazas, covered passages and waterfront routes after dark.

 

 

A landscape of modernization

The redevelopment of Astir Marina continues a longer Greek history in which architecture mediates between tourism infrastructure and landscapes of particular natural, historical and cultural value.

Here, the role of design extends beyond the production of individual buildings. The preliminary planning by KSE Studio, the final master plan and architecture by AETER Architects, and the public realm by Neiheiser Argyros operate as distinct but interconnected layers.

The project remains suspended between two conditions: the local landscape that was already present and the international programme introduced by the marina. Its broader architectural significance lies in the way these forces are negotiated.

The balance between landscape protection and tourism development is not self-evident. Nevertheless, it continues to define a critical field for the evolution of contemporary Greek architecture.

 

The project was first published in print in ek magazine 290 | September 2024, the monthly issue by ek Architectural Publications.

Minthis Spa by Woods Bagot stands at the centre of a large wellness resort near Paphos, Cyprus. Positioned on the crest of a hill, the building overlooks the Ezousa Valley and the historic Stavros tis Minthis monastery.

The architecture responds differently to the two sides of the site. Towards the resort’s main square and stepped outdoor amphitheatre, the building presents a controlled and largely enclosed façade. In contrast, its opposite side opens towards the valley and the distant horizon.

 

 

Emerging from the hillside

The wellness centre appears to rise from the sloping terrain. Its fragmented planted roofs form a geometric extension of the landscape, while the low horizontal composition limits the building’s visual impact when seen from above.

The two-storey spa contains 2,100m² of public wellness facilities. Its programme includes eight specialized treatment rooms, four of which have private internal courtyards. A 25m heated indoor pool, a smaller thermal spa pool, a gym, a yoga room, a relaxation lounge and body-treatment areas complete the main facilities.

A further 700m² service level is located at the base of the building. Reserved for staff, it accommodates the spa’s supporting functions without interrupting the sequence of spaces used by visitors.

From the square to the courtyard

Visitors approach the spa from the resort’s central square along an outdoor route. On this side, a grid of standardized exposed-concrete volumes creates a protective façade. Gaps between them allow climbing plants to grow across the surface.

The concrete grid is interrupted at the entrance, where glazing reveals the central courtyard beyond. Here, a vertical garden of aromatic local plants is arranged within black metal containers. Their repeated geometry echoes the pattern of the external façade.

This planted courtyard forms the spatial centre of the project. It leads towards the reception and lobby, while maintaining long views across the resort and the surrounding terrain. A white Volakas marble reception desk stands against exposed concrete, accompanied by a wall-mounted ceramic composition. Timber surfaces across the walls and ceilings soften the concrete structure, while grey stone defines the floor.

 

 

Graduated levels of quiet

The internal programme is divided between two wings according to the degree of quiet required by each function. The two pools and gym are placed to the left of the courtyard. On the opposite side, the treatment rooms follow a linear arrangement that supports greater privacy and acoustic separation.

Four treatment rooms incorporate private open-air courtyards. These enclosed spaces bring daylight, vegetation and fresh air into the treatment areas without exposing them to the wider circulation zones.

Towards the valley, the principal functional volumes are emphasized by substantial frames of untreated natural limewood. Transitional spaces occupy the intervals between them. Openings reaching up to 5m in height frame views of the green landscape and draw daylight deep into the building.

Materiality and framed views

The interior combines natural timber battens, board-marked concrete and grey stone in both polished and rough finishes. Natural and artificial lighting reveal the differences between these surfaces, while reinforcing the visual axes towards the exterior.

The indoor pool is positioned directly beside full-height glazing. Reflections from the water extend the view into the landscape, while the timber-lined ceiling introduces warmth to the space. Elsewhere, darker corridors and treatment areas create a gradual transition towards more enclosed and private rooms.

Furniture and decorative elements follow the same material approach. Soft organic forms, woven surfaces, timber and heavily textured fabrics balance the geometric structure of the architecture.

 

The project was first published in print in ek magazine 281 | October 2023, a monthly issue by ek Architectural Publications.

A Global Resort Rooted in Place

Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino is a luxury destination resort that upholds the standards of a global hospitality brand while remaining deeply rooted in its context. Set above the bay of Navarino in Messinia, Greece, the resort balances large scale with an intimate experience, luxury with restraint, and high-end amenities with a meaningful connection to land, culture and environment.

The project engages with a site of historical significance, ecological value and powerful natural beauty. Rather than treating the resort as an object placed in the landscape, the design develops a system of habitation, hospitality and environmental adaptation.

A Masterplan Inspired by Rural Typologies

The masterplan draws inspiration from Greek rural typologies, particularly the mandria: organic stone enclosures that adapt to the terrain and organize sloping land with quiet pragmatism.

This strategy is applied at a larger scale, organizing the resort’s different building units along the contours of the hillside. The 48 earth-sheltered villas are arranged in stepped, undulating rows, ensuring uninterrupted panoramic views from every unit and creating successive horizons across the site.

Most villas are organized in pairs, with only two visible sides that disappear into the ground and independent entrances naturally separated by planted slopes. In this way, the architecture develops as an extension of the hillside, rather than imposing itself upon it.

 

 

Privacy, Autonomy and Semi-Outdoor Living

The dispersed organization of the resort enhances the guest experience in several ways. Each villa enjoys privacy, autonomy and surrounding gardens, while the relationship between interior and exterior is structured through a sequence of transitions.

Interiors flow smoothly into shaded semi-outdoor living areas. Wide overhangs, deep-set openings and filtered views create a sense of calm and refuge, while maintaining contact with the broader landscape.

Restraint, Luxury and Material Presence

The resort combines restraint with richness. Stone and terrazzo are used in tactile, understated ways, while the interiors refer to Mediterranean textures and tones. Curated international details evoke the spirit of travel without distancing the experience from the place itself.

Space planning is intuitive and guest-centered, ensuring clear orientation, comfortable scale and carefully framed views. Circulation takes place outdoors wherever possible, allowing nature to remain a continuous presence throughout the resort.

 

 

Operational Foresight and Flexible Management

The resort also demonstrates operational foresight. Its layout supports scalable operation, as clusters of rooms or villas can be brought into or out of use seasonally, optimizing energy consumption.

Open-air circulation reduces the need for cooled corridors, while semi-protected spaces such as covered terraces and entry courtyards temper climate extremes, reducing mechanical loads and improving guest comfort.

A Contemporary Hybrid Typology

Creatively, the project avoids spectacle in favor of serenity. It does not mimic history, but listens to it. Traditional forms are abstracted rather than replicated, and reinterpreted through contemporary materials and construction methods.

The result is a unique hybrid typology, where the aesthetic of the “village” is not reproduced literally, but translated into a contemporary hospitality system. Architecture preserves local memory without becoming trapped in imitation.

 

 

Passive Strategies and Ecological Ambition

Sustainability guided every decision. Passive strategies include planted roofs, thermal mass and cross-ventilated spaces. Materials were sourced locally whenever possible.

Water-efficient landscaping, low-impact lighting and energy zoning further reinforce the ecological ambition of the project, aligning guest comfort with a lower environmental footprint.

A New Model for Hospitality

Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino offers a new model of resort-making: one that privileges relationship over image, groundedness over excess.

It demonstrates that a resort can be both luxurious and low-impact, international and deeply local — a place where architecture, landscape and guest comfort coexist in elegant alignment.