About Us
An idea is born
The idea for Project Zeta was born in 2015. Marina, Alexandra, Giorgos and Giorgos visited the Glavanis Mansion, an abandoned, crumbling building at the time, one summer day that year. But it retained its nobility, as if waiting for a second life.
Initially, we discussed in theory how this building could be used in the future, but we quickly "nailed down" the idea of a place for meetings, education and creative dialogue. Such a space was missing in the area and would bring a comparative advantage.
The "charisma" of Zagora is its location: Set in the lush vegetation of East Pelion, with panoramic views of the Aegean Sea, it creates an authentic atmosphere away from the distractions of city life and the rhythms of modern work. Many visitors and tourists to Zagora describe the mental and physical relief of leaving their worries and troubles 'behind the mountain'. This is, after all, what the word 'Zagora' means in Slavic.
The idea that the Glavanis Mansion could become a very remarkable hotel was also considered, but the vision of a special conference and cultural centre excited us more than anything else, because it is an innovation both for the development of tourism in the Zagora region and for the visitors, who will have an experience that they will hardly find elsewhere.
Taking advantage of the location, our business idea was to combine the history and nobility of the building with the most modern technical infrastructure for holding seminars, meetings and cultural events. We wanted to attract people who are not satisfied with standard mass services, but who are looking for alternative spaces and personalised services that best meet their professional needs.
The area offers many activities in the mountains, at the sea and in the village itself with its impressive mansions, fountains, churches, historical library, traditional squares and cobbled streets. Zagora will ground you and put you in touch with nature and yourself. In every season: freshness, the sea and lush greenery in summer, colour and apples in autumn, snow and chestnuts in winter, flowers and vitality in spring.
Zagoras' year-round attractiveness is what makes it special and opens up horizons for the qualitative and sustainable development of tourism, both foreign and domestic. A tourism that contributes to the preservation of the natural environment and is interested in the rich cultural heritage of the area. Seeing the possibilities of such a development, we wanted to pave the way for it with the Project Zeta.
In 2019, the four of us founded the company Project Zeta IKE, to which the property was transferred, we secured co-financing from the Thessaly Regional Operational Programme 2014-2020 and started work. The challenge was to integrate the building harmoniously into the unique natural and historical environment, while at the same time installing the technological infrastructure necessary for the operation of a modern conference centre.
Our aim was to preserve as many of the historic elements of the building as possible, to use materials and styles of the period and to emphasise the quality of the construction. In this way we wanted to revive the authenticity and aura of the building. However, we decided to follow a clear line when it came to modern interventions: Visitors should be able to see and experience the functional and technological interventions that are crucial to the new use of the building. We did not want to build a museum or camouflage the modern additions with cheap building elements, but to restore a historic building that adapts to today's needs and evolves.
Unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic put the brakes not only on our enthusiasm, but also on the work on Project Zeta. After a delay of two years, work finally began in the spring of 2022 to implement the plans of architect Katerina Pitouli. Katerina, with her long experience in the restoration of historical buildings in Athens and her enthusiasm, proved to be the ideal advocate of the project's philosophy.
With the help of dozens of craftsmen experienced in the architectural traditions of Pilion - stonemasons, carpenters, marble masons - and local workers, the construction of the building was completed in June 2023. This was followed by studies and technical installations by companies specialised in audiovisual media, modern digital infrastructure and professional lighting, as well as the installation of a professional kitchen.
In December 2023, eight years after the initial idea, we see the Glavanis Mansion being revived and transformed into Project Zeta with a new mission as a modern house of dialogue, of meeting, of education, of culture and well-being. Along the way we have faced many difficulties, pandemics, natural disasters, building restrictions, inflation, but we have not been disappointed because the vision we developed in the summer of 2015 was so strong and attractive that it pushed us to overcome obstacles to complete the project.
But buildings are not enough. It's the people who bring them to life. And so we hope that both the local community and its visitors will embrace Project Zeta and contribute to its development and consolidation as a place of exchange, dialogue, creativity and recreation.
