Dexamenes Seaside Hotel by K-Studio in Kourouta, Greece, carries a history tied to currants, wine and maritime trade. After Greece’s liberation in 1830, currant cultivation expanded rapidly and became the main export product of the Greek Kingdom. When the Currants’ Crisis hit in 1910, the trade collapsed, and producers needed new uses for unsold stock. Wine offered one answer, leading to the creation of wineries and distilleries. Dexamenes grew from that shift. Its position beside the sea allowed ships to load wine directly from the tanks before departing for overseas markets.
HOTELS
K-Studio approached the derelict industrial complex by keeping its raw force visible. The concrete tanks, steel elements and stone outbuildings had remained largely untouched since the 1920s, set along a quiet stretch of coastline in the western Peloponnese. The design gives the site new use while allowing the original structures to retain their weight and presence. Concrete, steel, timber and engineered glass form the new palette, keeping each intervention light against the mass of the existing buildings.
Guests enter from the adjacent road, where a pavilion connects to the original concrete tank buildings. Open glass partitions lead onto a concrete slab and into the reception area. A louvered plywood canopy brings shade during the day and a warm glow at night. From there, guests move through a minimal boutique toward the central courtyard, with the site’s industrial remnants setting the tone.
Two concrete blocks dominate the hotel. Each block contains two rows of ten former wine-storage tanks, with each tank measuring around five by six meters. K-Studio converted these cells into hotel rooms with ensuite bathrooms and shaded patios. Between the two blocks, the team turned a former industrial yard into a calm courtyard garden. A shallow pool separates the rows of rooms, catches the light and cools the air in the afternoon. The steel drums that shaped the hotel’s logo now stand in the water, while concrete slabs cut from the tank walls serve as stepping-stones. Local grape and currant varieties grow along the garden edges and gradually add shade, texture and productivity to the hotel.
The courtyard tank rooms follow an identical layout. K-Studio keeps original manholes, pipes and internal wall patina in place. A narrow black steel frame organizes the 30-square-meter interior, while textured glass carries light from the bedroom and dressing areas into the bathroom. Polished terrazzo connects the new interiors to the beach-pebble aggregates revealed where the old walls now open.
The sea-front tanks focus directly on the beach. Beds face large sliding windows, while canopied patios frame sunset views. A raised promenade connects the rooms, the beach and the rest of the hotel. Even the railings reuse parts of the old irrigation system once installed on the tank roofs.
The two original stone outbuildings now support dining, events and cultural programming. Reclaimed bricks line the floors and terrace, while locally made ceramic tiles restore the pitched roofs. The taverna includes an open kitchen, a communal table for wine tastings and cooking workshops, and a terrace for meals prepared with local ingredients. Nearby, a cultural building hosts exhibitions, workshops, lectures, performances and installations throughout the summer season.
Dexamenes continues to grow through careful additions. The twin silos now host wellness, art and culinary events, while the building has gained a new layer above the concrete tanks. K-Studio drew this rooftop addition from the sensation of standing on the tank roofs during early construction, where sky and sea met in a clear line.
Eight new rooms now occupy this elevated structure. Slender metal tubes and warm wooden planks create a light frame above the tanks, while a thin canopy appears to float over the concrete volume. A water channel draws the eye toward the horizon and connects the building visually to the sea. Each room opens to a generous veranda beneath the pergola, with access from the rear courtyard. From this level, guests see the silos, garden vines and activity below from a new height, as Dexamenes extends its story upward.
Project name: Dexamenes Seaside Hotel
Location: Kourouta Beach, Amaliada, Greece
Area: 2,760 sqm
Architecture: K-Studio
Photography: BREBA Claus Brechenmacher & Reiner Baumann
