Some projects do more than meet a brief. They restore a legacy. The One&Only Aesthesis resort on the Athenian Riviera is one such project for K.Liaromatis.
Set on the iconic Astir Beach site in Glyfada, this development transformed a storied coastal destination that had fallen into years of neglect into one of Europe’s most celebrated five-star resorts.
It demanded precision at every level, from architectural vision to structural execution. K. Liaromatis, a specialist structural steel contractor, played a meaningful role in bringing the project’s most complex structural requirements to life.
Project Overview
The One&Only Aesthesis resort spans 21 acres out of the total 278 acres of protected beachfront estate in Glyfada, a coastal suburb just minutes away from central Athens.
The site includes a 2.2-kilometre beachfront, a pine forest reserve, and areas of archaeological significance. It is positioned along what is known as the Athenian Riviera, a stretch of coastline that has drawn Greece’s elite since the mid-20th century.
The resort accommodates guests across 127 rooms, suites, and villas. Facilities include multiple restaurants and bars, a Guerlain spa (Greece’s first), a state-of-the-art fitness centre, tennis and padel courts, and kilometres of forest trails.
The total development cost, excluding land, came close to 188 million euros. The project was developed by Grivalia Hospitality in partnership with Kerzner International, the group behind the One&Only brand.
Due to the scale of the site, the construction scope was distributed across multiple general contractors who were required to coordinate closely throughout the build. This made precise, reliable structural contributions from every specialist partner absolutely essential.
Project Vision and Architectural Concept
The original Astir Beach complex was designed in the 1950s by modernist architects Vourekas, Dekavalas, and Georgiadis. It became a magnet for Greece’s jetset, attracting movie stars, artists, and international visitors throughout the following decades. Over time, the site fell into partial disuse.
When Grivalia and One&Only took on the project, their vision was to revive the site’s historic identity rather than erase it. Architecture was led by a team of locally based studios, including K-Studio, A6Architects, AUDO, and MUZA Lab.
The design philosophy drew directly from the original modernist buildings. Rather than demolishing existing structures and starting from scratch, the team renovated and upgraded within the original footprints.
The result is a resort that feels rooted in its history while being entirely contemporary in its comfort. Low-rise, modernist-inspired structures sit among mature pines and Mediterranean planting.
Indoor and outdoor spaces flow into one another through large glass openings and covered terraces. Materials throughout the resort include local timber, Greek marble in neutral tones, and exposed stone masonry, all chosen to reflect the palette of the original complex.
Architectural and Structural Highlights
Curved Central Building
The resort’s entrance is defined by a distinctive curved central structure, inspired by the outdoor restaurant of the original Astir complex.
It houses the main reception area, and a dramatic sweeping staircase leads guests down to the Alelia bar and the Ora by Ettore Botrini restaurant. The curved geometry of this building posed significant structural demands, requiring specialist expertise to ensure both structural integrity and architectural fidelity.
Open Spatial Design
Hospitality spaces connect directly to gardens, pools, and beachfront areas through generous glazed facades and outdoor terraces. This creates structural requirements that demand wide, column-free spans to preserve unobstructed views and spatial continuity.
Materials and Construction Language
The architectural palette draws entirely from local sources. Repurposed local stone was reassembled in linear walls. Restored lightweight timber structures were paired with new marble and stone surfaces. Hand-forged metal elements appeared in interiors alongside fire, water, and natural light as design themes.
Sustainability and Environmental Strategy
Sustainability was embedded into the project from the very beginning. The resort achieved both LEED and SITES certifications, two internationally recognised standards that reflect a serious commitment to environmental performance.
LEED certification addresses building energy efficiency, water use, and materials selection. SITES certification recognises responsible land use and landscape design. The landscaping across the 21 acre site was carefully managed throughout construction. Existing mature trees were transplanted rather than removed.
Over 200,000 Mediterranean and native plant species with low irrigation requirements were introduced across the grounds. Selected buildings feature planted green roofs that provide thermal insulation while visually integrating the structures into the surrounding landscape.
For structural steel contractors, working within a sustainability-focused project framework meant meeting tight tolerances on material sourcing and construction waste. It also meant ensuring structural systems supported passive performance strategies, such as green roof loading, without requiring excessive additional material.
The Role of K. Liaromatis in the Project
Structural Steel Expertise
K. Liaromatis brought its core expertise in structural steelwork and specialised steel constructions to the One&Only Aesthesis project.
We are a dedicated structural steel contractor with experience across complex architectural and industrial projects. At Aesthesis, our expertise was applied to a project that placed unusually high demands on structural precision, given the combination of heritage renovation, complex geometries, and open spatial design.
Contribution to Structural Systems
Our experts contributed to the delivery of structural elements that supported the resort’s complex architectural forms. This included steel systems designed to enable the wide open spans found throughout the hospitality areas, as well as structural components integrated within the resort’s bungalow and villa buildings.
Off-the-shelf solutions cannot serve projects of this complexity. Fabrication must be precise. Installation must be coordinated. And every structural element must perform within tight tolerances to protect the architectural integrity of the finished building.
Collaboration with Construction Teams
One of the defining features of this project was the coordination with multiple contractors working simultaneously across a vast site. We worked alongside these contractors and the project’s engineering teams to ensure structural components met both design and construction requirements.
This capacity to integrate & collaborate well with large, multi-contractor project environments is one of the defining strengths K. Liaromatis brings to high-rise and complex resort construction.
Project Outcome
One&Only Aesthesis opened to guests in November 2023, and the response has affirmed the ambition of the project.
The resort has been widely recognised for its architectural quality, its sensitivity to the historic character of the Astir site, and its exceptional guest experience. It stands as a landmark development on the Athenian Riviera and a reference point for luxury resort construction in Greece.
For K. Liaromatis, involvement in the Aesthesis project reflects the company’s capability to deliver high-performance structural steelwork in demanding environments, where precision, coordination, and expertise are non-negotiable requirements.
From heritage renovation to complex curved geometries, this project encompassed the full range of challenges that define modern luxury resort development. We met those challenges as a trusted structural partner, contributing to a result that will define the standard for resort construction on the Athenian Riviera for years to come.
If you are planning a high-rise or complex steel structure project, explore our steel building expertise and discover how specialist structural steel contracting can support your vision from design through to delivery.
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