Originally built in the late 1920s in Arcadia, Greece, the Manna Sanatorium housed tuberculosis patients who hoped to heal from the benefits of the clean mountain air of the arcadic woods for almost a decade. Designed by Swiss architects, it stirred away from the neoclassical current of the moment in the area, and gave more specific nods to central European architecture characteristics. When the introduction of penicillin in 1938 made such institutions obsolete, Manna was abandoned, and soon became a mine for building materials for other nearby projects.
Client Stratis Batayas made a dream come true when he decided to acquire and revive the property, refining the building’s original hospitality service. The secluded location, natural surroundings and emblematic
architecture of a lost era inspired the architects to translate this vision into an optimistic and respectful continuity of its long history.
The client’s ambition was to reinterpret the concept of the original architecture with contemporary terms. The hotel would have to be a place for isolation, as well as community-making and participation in the primary activities of everyday living. It would also have to be a year-round destination for locals from the surrounding villages of Athens, as well as a destination in itself for travellers who seek a pure wellness experience in their adventures.
The main building of Manna spreads on a horizontal axis, split in two wings from a main circulation corridor. The northern wing is divided into room units almost on all floors, and the front accommodates larger common areas in the first and main access floor. The ground floor, originally occupied by service functions, remains as such in the new design, hosting the kitchen and dining rooms as well as all the necessary back of house supporting areas.
Upon arrival, guests are greeted in the welcome area, a cozy space where local treats and a warm drink by the robust fireplace give a first taste of a down-to-earth hospitality experience. Then they are drawn to the lounge area, where the apothecary style bar makes a clear reference to the healing past of the property. In the lower level, an open kitchen invites guests to participate in the elaboration of meals that will be served in the restaurant, which is designed to spill over in the outdoors areas when weather allows. On its lower level, the annex features all wellness areas, from the gym to different spa amenities, that transition into a cave in the terrain, exploring further the pure spatial qualities of being grounded.
Manna aspires to establish itself as a timeless sanctuary where guests can get lost only to find their true self again. Breeding a strong sense of community in the gathering spaces, preserving the impression of the lost sanatorium where healing took place in isolation, space for connection to the self is paramount.
