Within 1.5 years of signing the relevant contract, the AKTOR Group completed the demanding project for the Maintenance, Repair, and Replacement of Parts of the Metal Structures of the two Entrances, the Wall of Nations, and the Agora at the Athens Olympic Sports Center (OAKA) “Spyros Louis,” as part of an extensive program to technically upgrade and protect the complex’s iconic infrastructure.
As noted in the relevant announcement, AKTOR Group engineers studied and worked at a rapid pace to maintain, repair, and restore recognizable and iconic architectural elements of the OAKA designed by Santiago Calatrava. This was a particularly demanding project, which was completed with the utmost respect for the architectural heritage and legacy of the 2004 Olympic Games.
At all three of these landmark structures, work was carried out to restore the durability of the metal surfaces, with extensive sandblasting, water jetting, or hydro-sandblasting, depending on the degree of oxidation, to completely remove flaking, oxidation, crumbling coatings, and chalking.
This was followed by the application of a new anti-corrosion protection system using anti-rust primers and high-performance topcoats, suitable for environments with moderate atmospheric pollution and increased corrosive effects, in accordance with the approved technical specifications.
In addition, throughout the project, corroded bolts were replaced with new galvanized fasteners of the same quality and specifications, while the retained fasteners were cleaned and repainted. Furthermore, at all three locations, various localized repairs were carried out, either to improve drainage or to repair concrete, welds, or cracks.
To ensure the quality and reliability of the project, continuous inspections and checks were conducted throughout the duration of the work by an independent Quality Control Firm, which monitored all individual tasks and interventions.
At the same time, all work was carried out under continuous technical supervision and in accordance with applicable technical specifications, European standards, and regulations governing steel structures.