Greekville fragments of memory *..

The exhibition touches upon issues of migration, self-identity and the ‘architecture of
belonging’. It is an architectural and anthropological reading of three American Greek-
towns; Detroit, Chicago and Tarpon Springs. These three cases provide a unique platform
for cultural observations and architectural speculations. We treat them as a medium for
criticism and manifestation of the innovative, hybrid and sometimes bizarre concepts of
‘Greekness’ within the north American urban context. In so doing, we aim to provoke a
discussion on issues of migration and identity by contemplating on the fusion between
modern Greek and American culture.

CREDITS
Polity architects: Michail Papavarnavas, Con-
stantinos Petrakos

Harvard GSD Installation Team

Angeliki Giannisi, MArch I, Michalis Pirokka, Constantinos Petrakos, Angeliki Giannisi, Mi-
MLA II chalis Pirokka
Design Team Special Thanks
Georgia Drakou, Michalis Karamichalis, Angela Livaditis, Ana Mayoral Moratilla, Tha-
Polymnia Skorda, Pelagia Spyridonidou, Athina nasis Petrakos, Greece GSD, Yiorgos Kotronis
Xenouli (Ekpaideutiria Panou)
Exhibition Design
Michail Papavarnavas, Constantinos Petrakos

Copyright © Polity architects. All Rights Reserved

Greekville: fragments of memory

The Greektown is a colloquial English term used to describe urban neighbourhoods pri-
marily formed by Greeks or people of Greek ancestry, as well as Greek-themed organiza-
tions and businesses. Although the first Greek immigrants arrived in the US around the
end of the 19th century, it was not until the post-WWII era that the first Greektowns started
forming in the way we know them today. At that period, as an old New York Times’ article
observes, those “immigrants with the unpronounceable names […] [were] transformed
[...] from foreign vermin to culture heroes”. Movies like “Zorba the Greek” and “Never
on Sunday” portrayed Greeks as appealing and free spirits, and made it “chic to be
Greek”. Also, the rise of mass tourism after the WWII, with Americans in large numbers
starting visiting Greece and being exposed to the modern Greek culture, played a signifi-
cant role. The Greektowns became appealing and, as the same article from the New York
Times points out, “While some New York night spots are dying Greek clubs like Dionysos
and Sirocco are packed every night.”.
Undoubtedly, the most renowned among the US Greektowns is that of the Astoria in
Queens, New York. Other major centres with flourishing Greek communities are that of
Chicago, Detroit, Boston, Baltimore, among many more. All these communities developed
their social lives around their churches, schools, coffeeshops and clubs. Also, Groceries
with a huge variety in Greek foods and products were other vital components of these
small urban villages. The rich variety of modern Greek culture and the ubiquity of dif-
fering urban elements resulted on the chaotic and famously complex urban fabric of the
American Greektowns. The architecture of the American Greektowns is also quite telling.
Besides the agonizing effort to preserve their Greekness thousands of miles away from
their fatherland, it also reveals a great cultural and anthropological tension that the first
generation of immigrants brought with them to the US. Unlike other communities, Greeks
were carrying the heavy burden of classical antiquity that the European Enlightenment
loaded them. Thus, the manifestation of the new Greek-American identity demanded ne-
gotiations and acrobatics between the spectacle and mundane, the traditional and novel,
the ancient and modern.
 Pape Av.
684
ΟΔΟΣ ΠΕΗΠ

hs
Part
THS
1
-240
726
312-

Taking onto account the above, our research focuses on the footprint of the Greek com-
munities in the urban environment of the North American cities. Having as a pivotal point
the aforementioned Greektowns, we aspire to further expand our research to the new ter-
ritories that the contemporary Greek communities live, interact, create, express, preserve,
form and forge their Greek-American identity. Therefore, by casting the spotlight to the
‘old’ Greektowns, we aim to discover ‘new’ ones in the making by the last wave of Greek
immigrants that the recent economic crisis triggered.
 Greek Town

The two main axis of our research are: a) the decoding of the main elements that formed
and continue to form the unique identity of the Greek-American diaspora and b) the in-
terpretation of those elements. In the first stage, architectural methods of documentation,
mapping and analysis of the Greektowns have been used, while for the second one, an-
thropological methods and heuristic modelsfacilitatedthe understanding and interpreta-
tion of the above phenomenon.
The exhibition ‘Greekville: fragments of memory’ at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. (© Polity architects)
 N

SP O
N G E I N C.

IN MEMORY OF
JOHN M. COCORIS
FROM
LEONIDION GREECE
THE FOUNDER OF
SPONGEDIVING INDUSTRY IN
THE CITY OF TARPON
SPRINGS

IN MEMORIAM
JOHN K. CHENEY
1858 - 1939

FREE WINE
TASTING

Katina' s
Greek Market
Exchange
Inside Sponge

Wines
Greek
Beer
Greek Oil
Olive
Greek e
Chees
Greek
Inside
Items
More
MATA
KALA S
OLIVE

IN MEMORY OF THE
SPONGERS OF TARPON SPRINGS

2002

AGIOS NIKOLAOS

AGIO
TARPON SPRINGS, FL

S FAN
OURIOS

In this regard, the exhibition touches upon issues of migration, self-identity and the ‘archi-
tecture of belonging’. It is an architectural and anthropological reading of three American
Greektowns: Detroit, Chicago and Tarpon Springs. These three cases provide a unique
platform for cultural observations and architectural speculations. We actually treat them
as a medium for criticism and manifestation of the innovative, hybrid and sometimes
 PAR
KING
FOR
GRE
R ONL
EKS
ST Y
S
EN
ATH
DODECANESE
BLVD

's
Catherine
Shop
Linen
Linens
of Fine
Importers crafts &
Greek Handi Clothing
Exotic

bizarre concepts of ‘Greekness’ within the north American urban context. In so doing, we
aim to provoke a discussion on issues of migration and identity by contemplating on the
fusion between modern Greek and American culture.
The exhibition ‘Greekville: fragments of memory’ at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. (© Polity architects)
Greekville: fragments of memory*
The exhibition touches upon issues of migration, self-identity and the ‘architecture
of belonging’. It is an architectural and anthropological reading of three American
Greektowns; Detroit, Chicago and Tarpon Springs. These three cases provide a unique
platform for cultural observations and architectural speculations. We treat them
as a medium for criticism and manifestation of the innovative, hybrid and sometimes
bizarre concepts of ‘Greekness’ within the north American urban context. In so do-
ing, we aim to provoke a discussion on issues of migration and identity by contem-
plating on the fusion between modern Greek and American culture.
The Greektown is a colloquial English term used to describe urban neighbourhoods
primarily formed by Greeks or people of Greek ancestry, as well as Greek-themed
organizations and businesses. Although the first Greek immigrants arrived in the US
around the end of the 19th century, it was not until the post-WWII era that the first
Greektowns started forming in the way we know them today. At that period, as an
old New York Times’ article observes, those “immigrants with the unpronounceable
names […] [were] transformed [...] from foreign vermin to culture heroes”. Movies
like “Zorba the Greek” and “Never on Sunday” portrayed Greeks as appealing and
free spirits, and made it “chic to be Greek”. Also, the rise of mass tourism after the
WWII, with Americans in large numbers starting visiting Greece and being exposed to
the modern Greek culture, played a significant role. The Greektowns became appeal-
ing and, as the same article from the New York Times points out, “While some New
York night spots are dying Greek clubs like Dionysos and Sirocco are packed every
night.”.
Undoubtedly, the most renowned among the US Greektowns is that of the Astoria in
Queens, New York. Other major centres with flourishing Greek communities are that
of Chicago, Detroit, Boston, Baltimore, among many more. All these communities
developed their social lives around their churches, schools, coffeeshops and clubs.
Also, Groceries with a huge variety in Greek foods and products were other vital com-
ponents of these small urban villages. The rich variety of modern Greek culture and
the ubiquity of differing urban elements resulted on the chaotic and famously complex
urban fabric of the American Greektowns. The architecture of the American Greek-
towns is also quite telling. Besides the agonizing effort to preserve their Greekness
thousands of miles away from their fatherland, it also reveals a great cultural and
anthropological tension that the first generation of immigrants brought with them to
the US. Unlike other communities, Greeks were carrying the heavy burden of classical
antiquity that the European Enlightenment loaded them. Thus, the manifestation of
the new Greek-American identity demanded negotiations and acrobatics between the
spectacle and mundane, the traditional and novel, the ancient and modern.
Taking onto account the above, our research focuses on the footprint of the Greek
communities in the urban environment of the North American cities. Having as a piv-
otal point the aforementioned Greektowns, we aspire to further expand our research
to the new territories that the contemporary Greek communities live, interact, create,
express, preserve, form and forge their Greek-American identity. Therefore, by casting
the spotlight to the ‘old’ Greektowns, we aim to discover ‘new’ ones in the making by
the last wave of Greek immigrants that the recent economic crisis triggered.
The two main axis of our research are: a) the decoding of the main elements that
formed and continue to form the unique identity of the Greek-American diaspora and
b) the interpretation of those elements. In the first stage, architectural methods of doc-
umentation, mapping and analysis of the Greektowns have been used, while for the
second one, anthropological methods and heuristic modelsfacilitatedthe understand-
ing and interpretation of the above phenomenon.
In this regard, the exhibition touches upon issues of migration, self-identity and the
‘architecture of belonging’. It is an architectural and anthropological reading of three
American Greektowns: Detroit, Chicago and Tarpon Springs. These three cases pro-
vide a unique platform for cultural observations and architectural speculations. We
treat them as a medium for criticism and manifestation of the innovative, hybrid and
sometimes bizarre concepts of ‘Greekness’ within the north American urban context.
In so doing, we aim to provoke a discussion on issues of migration and identity by
contemplating on the fusion between modern Greek and American culture.
* Exhibition ‘Greekville: fragments of memory’ by POLITY architects
POLITY partners and curators of the exhibition:
Michail Papavarnavas & Constantinos Petrakos
Team:
Georgia Drakou, Michalis Karamichalis, Polymnia Skorda, Pelagia Spyridonidou, Athina Xenouli
© POLITY
Copyright © 2019 POLITY architects. All Rights Reserved
www.polityarchitects.eu