Leisure Coast
Consultancy 1999
 
Client: Municipality of Vari
Location: Vari - Attica

For: Architectural Studio LTD
Programme:
Entrance - ticket booth
Parking: Bicycles, motorbikes (52) , coaches (26) , cars (360)
Luna Park
Bridge
Seasonal flower bed
Hill (+16m)
Restaurant
Open air-theatre
Cultural activities
Circulation pedestrian paths
Footbridge
Cross country tracks
Volley ball courts (2)
Tennis courts (6)
Basket ball courts (2)
Miniature learners driving park
Pick nick areas
Open air cinemas (2)
Tree islands
Canteens for swimmers (5 x 20 m2)
Skateboard ramp
Beach - Swimmers field
Open air exercise terrain - playground
Pedestrian path with service units
Dry river bed
Vieing rest area
Sailling club building and parking
Road canteen
Floating wooden deck marina

The project commissioned by the Municipality of Vari was to examine the coast as a leisure area all inclusive of activities to do with the sea plus to propose other activities in order to animate the landscape as a leisure zone on a 24 -hour basis.
The strip of land adjacent to EOT beach in Vari, just before the turn of the coastal road towards Anavyssos, is ideal for such a development. The area is on a recess below the coastal motorway. The masterplan proposed was based on the concept of overlapping activities and terrains which wouldn't simply define borders, but rather suggest different uses incorporating all the existing landscape elements and be crossed and accessed by footpaths. The intervention is low key and uses materials in order to instigate a proposed function. Apart from the harder zone of sport activities which is spread along side the motorway with the parking areas and acts as a buffer zone, the rest of the landscape is dealt as a field for swimmers. Small building units: changing rooms with showers, canteens and rest areas are randomnly scattered while cross sectional wooden paths lead to the beach and continue into the sea as floating wooden decks for viewing and resting. A restaurant is located on the hill which raises above the motorway level and opens up the view towards the sea. The building of the sailing club is situated on the more rocky part of land with it's main faade looking at the bay and it's own private marina.