Derelict building installations and infrastructures in Greek Spa Towns: The case of Kamena Vourla and Ypati

Abstract

The evolution of thermal tourism in Greece has caused the construction of numerous imposing building complexes, installations of treatment (spa centers) and hotels (around important thermal springs), which formed the initial cores of future urban development. During the last two decades, Greek thermal tourism entered a phase of decline. Consequently the above mentioned installations (built up during a long period of flourishing in the 19th and 20th centuries), and especially those found within urban areas, are abandoned and downgraded. Therefore these spa centers deserve the appropriate (architectural) restoration and (urban) renewal in order to reassemble the urban space by filling in the existing 'urban holes', modernize their infrastructure and be able to successfully compete in a more difficult international economic environment. The Greek spa towns of Kamena Vourla and Ypati are a characteristic example of the above mentioned situation. In Kamena Vourla half of the treatment installations/buildings are completely abandoned while in Ypati the main spa center core is operating in a rather downgraded building construction and several hotels are also empty and nearly ruined. This paper aims to investigate the possible ways for the restoration, reuse and urban integration of the abandoned installations in spa towns for the benefit of sustainable thermal tourism in Greek regions in the short and long term. © 2008 WIT Press.