The OAKA open-air swimming center was constructed for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, designed by Weidleplan.

It consists of three Olympic size swimming pools, two with a 50m length for swimming and one for diving.

Dr. A. Kanellopoulos performed the statics and earthquake resistance design for the construction company AKTOR SA, within the framework of the “Design & Construction” Tender in 1987.

AKTOR SA turned up to be the lowest bidder and it was awarded the project in August 1988.

The final detailed design and then the construction of the project followed.

The pools are made of pre-stressed concrete and rest on rubber bearings in order to avoid possible cracking and to ensure that their bottom slabs are accessible from below.

Furthermore, the rubber bearings are accessible to be checked regularly.

Seismic resistance is ensured through a four-storey “perforated” wall, parallel to the tiers’ direction, up to their highest level.

In the transverse direction, shear walls are applied in conjunction with the tier-bearing inclined beams.

The tier-bearing construction was built with “cast in situ” reinforced concrete and it also supports seven staircases hung on its rear side.

The roof beam-grid was designed to support a future multi-storey steel-profile extension. The expansion joints were placed every 50 meters.

The swimming center did not suffer any damage from the 1999 earthquake despite the fact that surface foundation without piles was applied and that the soil in the area is not particularly hard.