Dimitris Pikionis

Dimitris Pikionis
Born	26 January 1887 Piraeus, Greece
Died	28 August 1968 (aged 81) Athens, Greece
Occupation	Architect

Demetrios ("Dimitris") Pikionis (Greek: Δημήτριος (Δημήτρης) Πικιώνης; 1887–1968) was a major Greek architect of the 20th century and had a considerable influence on Greek architecture. He was a founding member of the Association of Greek Art Critics, AICA-Hellas, International Association of Art Critics.

He studied civil engineering at the National Technical University of Athens and then continued his studies to Paris and Munich, in sculpture and drawing. Pikionis was back then introduced to the work of Paul Cézanne and became friends with Giorgio de Chirico. Later he returned to Greece and architecture, and in 1925 undertook a lecturer position at the decoration department at the National Technical University of Athens. He has been often described as a critical regionalist and sometimes as a European modernist. Pikionis did not produce many works and the leitmotif in his work has been, according to architecture historians, the epiphany, the contrast between bleached marble and sodden soil.

Although he actually built few buildings, Pikionis is revered for the landscaping work in pedestrian areas around the Acropolis of Athens, a work done in the 1950s. Utilizing rough-finished marble in various shapes that appear irregular, yet are strictly geometric, and incorporating expertly chosen local fora on his terraces and steps, Pikionis' work has astounded visitors to the area and remains highly thought of ever since. He utilized similar techniques in creating the children's playground of the municipality of Filothei, an affluent Athens suburb.

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