The sight is impressive to say the least: the gigantic cranes, those mighty metal giants, precisely execute the “architectural choreography” put together by some of the best engineers in Greece and the world. The construction site is like a human hive in constant motion, with people and machines united to bring to life the construction of the largest “green” seaside skyscraper in the Mediterranean, the Riviera Tower.

The construction of the 200-meter-high skyscraper, which is being built on the site of the former Elliniko airport, more precisely in the area of ​​the Agios Kosmas marina, is progressing quickly and according to plan. Numerous cranes are working every day on the tallest residential skyscraper by the sea in the Mediterranean, and a large number of specialized engineers, planners and technicians are bringing the building ever closer to completion.

Drivers and pedestrians along Poseidonos Avenue can now clearly see the structure of the building taking shape, rising meter by meter into the Athenian sky. A few weeks ago it had already reached the sixth floor on one side and the fourth on the other, and now it is even higher: it is estimated to be around 78 meters high in September. Once completed, it will serve as an urban and architectural landmark of the country.

The project was designed by Foster + Partners, one of the most prestigious and innovative architectural firms in the world, in collaboration with Alexandros N. Tombazis & Associates Architects, and implemented by the consortium Bouygues Bâtiment International and Intrakat. The French company, a subsidiary of the Bouygues Group listed on the Paris Stock Exchange, is present in over 60 countries and has built more than 80 skyscrapers worldwide – in the United States, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong and other cities around the world.

Riviera Tower is part of a major redevelopment project on the site of the former Elliniko Airport, where Lamda Development will build residential buildings, hotels, commercial properties, office complexes, cultural and educational centers and other infrastructure, as well as a 2 million square meter urban park. The redevelopment also includes the renovation of the 3.5-kilometer coastline.

The skyscraper will be 50 stories high and will offer views of Sounio, Aegina, the Aegean Sea, the marina of Agios Kosmas, Elliniko Metropolitan Park, the Acropolis and Mount Hymettus. According to Lamda Development’s plans, it is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2026, provided that schedules are strictly adhered to.

The “Green Giant”

Work began in August 2022 with excavation and leveling of the ground. The foundation was laid in early 2023 and was completed last October with the largest continuous concreting operation, lasting 40 hours, ever undertaken on a construction project in Greece, maintaining the design and construction standards of the world’s tallest and most impressive buildings, such as the Petronas Twin Towers and Burj Khalifa. In total, 7,500 cubic meters of concrete and 120 “barrels” were required, making 1,000 trips from five different concrete plants in Attica.

In early April, Lamda Development reported in its regular updates on the progress of all individual projects that work on the Riviera Tower was progressing rapidly and the first floors of the tower were already visible from Poseidonos Avenue. Since then, progress has become even more evident and the height the skyscraper is reaching daily is now visible from a great distance.

The project used innovative methods: among other things, the “5-day cycle” was chosen for construction, which means that the skeleton of each floor will be completed within five days. Likewise, the external cladding will be completed every 10 floors with the help of specialized teams.

The building is intended to be a model of sustainable construction in the very tall building category not only in Greece but throughout Southeast Europe. It will be a “green giant”, a new generation biophilic design model that harmonizes the urban environment with nature. The main feature of the design approach, as announced, is the creation of a visually simple building in full harmony with the sea and the unique features of the Mediterranean landscape. The significant presence of green areas and water elements will enhance the bioclimatic nature of the structure.

The Riviera Tower: It will be 200 metres high and will house a total of 173 apartments, with prices ranging from 10,000 to 32,000 euros per square metre.

State of the art

As mentioned above, the residential project will reach a height of 200 meters and will include a total of 173 apartments of different sizes and features, depending on the location and the (presumably high) demands of their owners. These apartments have already been sold or deposits have been made for their purchase, according to Lamda Development.

The company’s CEO, Odysseas Athanasiou, mentioned at last year’s annual general meeting that the prices for the apartments on the lower floors of the Riviera Tower start at 10,000 euros per square meter and reach up to 32,000 euros per square meter on the upper floors. Based on the same update, it is estimated that the 173 apartments in the skyscraper were sold for a total of 625 million euros.

The buyers, who are mostly Greeks residing at home and abroad, include well-known entrepreneurs, industrialists, shipowners, owners of family offices, stockbrokers, market managers as well as foreign financiers and investors.

Cove Residences

Nearby, construction is also progressing on the Cove Residences, a complex of apartments and duplexes. The 115 new residences in Elliniko bear the signature of the architectural firms Bobotis+Bobotis Architects and ISV Architects and have already been sold or have had deposits paid for their purchase. These villas are among the first projects to follow the LEED system for low-rise residential complexes (BD+C Homes and Multifamily Lowrise).

As “THEMA” reported, according to the existing plan, the Cove Residences are to be completed in the first half of 2026, with the total value of the 115 residences being 284 million euros. The Cove Residences, located in the immediate vicinity of the beach, are the construction of residential complexes in four blocks, which are part of the redevelopment of the Elliniko Metropolitan Hub.

These residential buildings, the high-rise apartments and the plots on which the 27 ultra-luxurious beachfront villas, the so-called Cove Villas, will be built, bring the total revenue from the three projects for Lamda Development to 1.12 billion euros. It should be noted that the Cove Villas will be built along the coastal zone, each two stories high and occupy a total area of ​​about 59 hectares. They were designed by various international and Greek architectural firms, such as ISV, K-Studio, Oppenheim, Tombazis and SAOTA Architects.

Riviera Galleria

In addition, Lamda continues the Riviera Galleria project near the same location. Following a tender, the construction of the commercial coastal destination developed by the company in Elliniko, in the area of ​​Agios Kosmas Marina, was awarded to METKA ATE, a wholly owned subsidiary of Metlen Energy & Metals (formerly MYTILINEOS). Designed by the internationally renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma (Kengo Kuma and Associates) and designed in collaboration with the Greek design studio BETAPLAN, the Riviera Galleria will have a total construction area of ​​approximately 23,000 square meters.

Construction is estimated to take 26 months, with completion expected by 2027. Riviera Galleria will consist of three two-storey buildings that will form a complex of 100 shops, services and leisure areas, along with underground ancillary spaces, surrounding areas and outdoor parking. Conditions have already been agreed with tenants for over 60% of the shops.

Finally, cranes will gradually start working on the new residential area called Little Athens, residential complexes with apartments ranging from 60 to 350 square meters. The first phase of these new residential developments, along with most of the other projects in the first phase of The Ellinikon, is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. The new Little Athens neighborhood is expected to include over 1,100 residential units in total, apartments ranging from 60-70 square meters with one rooms to five-room apartments with 350 square meters, while on the ground floor, about 115 commercial units are planned with shops for residents, such as restaurants, grocery stores, mini markets and more.

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