Inspired by my recent visit to the Dimitris Pikionis exhibition at the Benaki Museum (Pireos 138), I felt the need to share a few thoughts on Pikionis—the man and the architect—a creator with a profound connection to Chios, the birthplace of his parents.
As his daughter, Agni Pikioni, mentions in the exhibition’s documentary, Pikionis initially aspired to become a painter before ultimately pursuing architecture. This path resonates deeply with me; I initially wanted to become an archaeologist, yet I chose architecture instead—a journey that ultimately led me to study, document, and strive to preserve the very place where I grew up.
My research focuses on the life and work of architects Dimitris Pikionis and Arnold C. Smith, who worked independently toward a common goal: documenting the architectural structure of Chios. This monumental task was funded by the Chian scholar and great benefactor Philip P. Argenti, who early on recognized the vital importance of documenting local architecture. Pikionis began his study in 1929, while Smith continued the work in 1936, completing it in 1939, thereby leaving a magnificent legacy for future architectural research.
Following Smith’s passing, the book “The Architecture of Chios” was published in London in 1962. Decades later, in 2000, Pikionis’s posthumous monograph “The Architecture of Chios” was released, compiling his exquisite drawings and notes.
My own academic and research journey began during the 2004–2005 academic year with the completion of my dissertation at De Montfort University of Leicester (UK), entitled: “The domestic architecture of Chios as seen through the eyes of Dimitrios Pikionis and Arnold C. Smith – Main emphasis on Kampos region”. A copy of this thesis has been deposited at the Koraes Library of Chios.
The choice of this topic was anything but accidental. I grew up in Kampos, spending my childhood visiting my cousins on their estates, a tie stemming from my mother’s roots. At the same time, my father was a building contractor who was frequently engaged in the construction, repair, and reconstruction of historic buildings throughout Kampos. From a very young age, I found myself on construction sites, in courtyards, and inside grand mansions, observing firsthand how a building is crafted, how it weathers time, and how it can be saved. Attending school in Kampos further deepened this lifelong, experiential bond with the land.
The unique architecture of Kampos—the estates of prominent families, the pebble-paved courtyards, the high stone walls, and the traces of a bygone era—formed my first true experience of space. It was this visual and cultural landscape that drove me to study architecture: not merely to record history, but to rescue the architectural heritage of this unparalleled place.
In 2017, this vision took tangible form with the publication of my book, “The Treasures of Kampos”, published by the Chian publishing house Alpha Pi / Yiannis Palyos, and sponsored by my dear friend and member of the Greek diaspora in Australia, Panagiotis Ch. Gambranis. This work represents an ongoing study from 2004 to the present day, as I continue expanding my research toward a second, augmented edition.
In the guestbook of the Pikionis exhibition at the Benaki Museum, I wrote:
“Dimitris Pikionis’s exhibition is not just architectural memory; it is a living legacy. As an architect from Chios, I feel a profound sense of emotion witnessing his gaze upon my homeland—a gaze that inspired me and continues to guide my own documentations in Kampos, Chios. Thank you for this silent yet essential conversation across time.”
Kampos is not just a place. It is memory, history, architectural identity, and cultural responsibility. And this journey continues…
Further Information & Bibliography
- Evangelos N. Kotatis, The Treasures of Kampos, Alpha Pi, Chios, 2017, 216 pages, ISBN: 978-618-5117-78-8 — Bilingual Edition, Greek–English.
- Undergraduate Dissertation: Evangelos N. Kotatis, The domestic architecture of Chios as seen through the eyes of Dimitrios Pikionis and Arnold C. Smith – Main emphasis on Kampos region, De Montfort University of Leicester, (UK) 2004–2005 — Copy deposited at the Koraes Library.
- Dimitris Pikionis, The Architecture of Chios, Indiktos, edited by Agni Pikioni, Athens, 2000.
- Arnold Clarence Smith, The Architecture of Chios: Subsidiary Buildings, Implements, and Crafts, A. Tiranti, London, 1962 — Initiated and funded by Philip P. Argenti.