A Greek architectural office is leading the project of pharaonic dimensions of the casino and hotels of GEK TERNA - Hard Rock in Ellinikon - Its founder, Efstathios Tryfonopoulos, talks about the 45-story "skyscraper" that will bring a Las Vegas air to the Athenian Riviera.
The office Diarchon Architects started in 1997 and until today has carved a path made of projects that make the 45-floor Hard Rock casino, a project that also includes hotels of the brand in Ellinikon, look like a normal continuation.
For example, he has renovated the "Elounda Beach" bungalows in Elounda into royal suites and the redesigned of the "Niko" hotel in Agios Nikolaos, Crete, as well as the "Grand Hyatt" (former "Ledra Marriott" and Starcity building) in Athens, which was the first investment of the well-known hotel chain in Southern Europe and at the same time the first major project by Diarchon Architects in the field of hospitality within the urban fabric.
Gala magazine spoke with the founding executive and architect, a member of the RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) Efstathios Tryfonopoulos, who is the lead architect in the implementation study of the enormous project that will change the seafront of Athens.
How did you win the commission to study the casino in Ellinikon?
Hard Rock and GEK TERNA -owners of the project- conducted a competitive process between selected offices to choose the most suitable one for the project. They had a small pre-selection list but finally decided to use only us, who had participated in the process in partnership with Grammatopoulos – Panousakis Architecture Ltd office.
The study was commissioned directly by the group of the two owners. Our participation was agreed as follows: a) in the preliminary study stage with a percentage of 10%, b) in the final study stage with a percentage of 35%, c) in the application study with a percentage of 85%, but also as lead & coordinators.
The remaining part will be prepared by foreign scholars, such as the multinational architectural office Gensler, KJWA, JBI and various other consultants of each specialty that exceed 30.
I hope it's not true what they say that where many roosters crow, the dawn is late...
No, we have now moved to the implementation study stage, where we are the chief architect and the ones coordinating everything else. We have been involved at all stages, so now that our role is bigger, we know where to start or what needs to be added along the way.
There are weekly meetings via the Internet and in person, with everyone going either to Miami, where Hard Rock is headquartered or to Athens, where GEK TERNA is headquartered.
Our team comprises approximately 62 people – primarily architects and 5% designers.
The project is unprecedented for Greece...
Imagine that the entire project amounts to 170,000 sq.m. The ground floor alone covers 46,000 sq.m. And we are only talking about the building and not the entire plot.
The building consists of 45 floors above the ground floor and is about 200 metres high, which makes it unusual by Greek standardss. But I think we are now starting to know the "tall" building better here.
In which part of Ellinikon will it be erected?
In the section towards the Glyfada golf course, in the last part of Ellinikon. It also has an outlet in Poseidona Road.
The connection of the plot to the beachfront is via an aerial bridge for vehicles - its construction has started - while a pedestrian bridge will also be built.
The beachfront plot in front of the casino is being developed by Lamda, which is preparing a small shopping mall.
What design philosophy did you adopt?
Our own participation in the design philosophy focused on informing all foreigners that here the sea is not a "black sea", that is, an inhospitable ocean, as Americans are used to. It is a seascape bathed in light.
So we insisted that the common areas of the building should be oriented more towards the sea and less towards the city centre, explaining to them that this option, with the requested view of the Acropolis, would not work, since from 12 km away the Holy Rock can be seen like a tiny lighthouse.
We managed to convince them. We assisted in studying the building layouts (casino, hotel, etc.), providing assistance to the other researchers based on our experience with Greek legislation.
How many floors will the casino occupy?
Most of the floors will be occupied by the Hard Rock Hotels that will be housed in the same building: 43.5 out of 45. The casino areas will extend to the ground floor and the 35th floor, where the VIP gaming suites will be located.
There are restaurants on the ground floor and on the 20th floor. The live arena and conference areas will also be on the ground floor.
The spa, the swimming pools, and, in general, the physical well-being areas, with a total area of 15,000 sq.m., are on the 1st floor. The hotel's 1,100 rooms and suites will be created on the remaining floors.
Is there a study on the sound as well?
Hotels usually rely on an acoustic study to protect against external noise or the surrounding residential buildings.
There is a foreign expert consultant for the fire safety issues, which are very important for a high-rise building after the project was agreed to be designed with the American Fire Safety Regulation (NFPA) since our regulation does not cover high-rise buildings.
When will the project be completed?
The target is for spring 2027.
This article first appeared in New Money.
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