From 1929 to Today: The Historical Relay of Documenting Kampos. When history, research, and life unite in a great 22-year journey.
Back in 1929, Philippos Argentis invited our great architect, Dimitris Pikionis, to Chios to begin documenting the architectural treasures of our island. Today, I feel a deep sense of emotion and duty, realizing that this endeavor has found its continuation.
A continuation that began for me in 2004 with my dissertation in England (De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) and continues to this day, uninterrupted, through a living, digital documentation of the estates of Kampos. This long-term effort resulted in my book, “The Treasures of Kampos,” published in 2017.
The Innovation of the Study: The “Soul” Behind the Stone
Beyond the architectural and photographic recording of the estates, the great innovation of this study is that it is based on oral testimonies. On the voices of the people themselves: the old owners, the residents, the masons and craftsmen who worked with the Themiana stone, as well as the scientists who analysed the history of our land.
A Global Odyssey: Tracking the Chian Diaspora
The search for data regarding the prominent families of Kampos, who were uprooted after the Chios Massacre of 1822 and the great Earthquake of 1881, takes me all over the world. Following Genoa, Constantinople, and Egypt, the road will soon lead me to Syros and then to London, for archive research at the great Greek cemetery of West Norwood, where the prominent families of Chian merchants rest.
Moments in Time: May 2026
This global odyssey and the 22 years of continuous documentation served as the “passport” to the most emotional meeting of my life: an unforgettable hospitality by Dimitris Pikionis’ daughter, Agni, and his granddaughter, Dora.
- In the first photograph: Three generations of architects meet at Agni Pikioni’s office. In the center, the iconic figure of Dimitris Pikionis, surrounded by his world-renowned works (the paving of the Acropolis and Philopappou hills). On the left is myself, and on the right is Agni, in a moment of absolute spiritual connection.
- In the second photograph: Agni and I are holding my book, “The Treasures of Kampos”. A gift of gratitude, set against the backdrop of the historical portraits of the Pikionis family, returning mentally to the land that the maestro loved so dearly.
- In the third photograph: Side by side, my 2005 dissertation in Leicester and the 2017 book. The living proof of an uninterrupted path.
The greatest honor came at the end of this magical day, when they trusted me and gifted me the rare, collector’s box set containing the complete works of Pikionis — an edition shared only with a select few who truly appreciate his legacy.
Looking at these images, I realize that architecture is not just a profession; it is an endless journey of duty towards the history and identity of our homeland.
Agni and Dora, thank you from the bottom of my heart. The promise to meet again is the next link in a story that began in 1929 and continues uninterrupted.