This month, two MSc students will present their master thesis. Eirini Sideri will present ''Hermopolis - A research on the Everyday Life of the City During the 19th Century''. Whilst Aimilia Nteka will present ''The Rebetiko Musical Trajectory and the Typologies of Entertainment in the Port of Piraeus''.
Eirini Sideri: ''Hermopolis - A research on the Everyday Life of the City During the 19th Century''
This research, through the case study of Hermoupolis, the port city of the island of Syros, investigates the spatial imprint of the social functioning of that region during the 19th century. It is an attempt to study the development of the whole city and the evolution of a network, extending beyond its physical boundaries, when everything was at its full and Hermoupolis, one of the most critical commercial and industrial centers. Undeniably, the interaction of land and sea, through the people and their actions, formed the unique entity of this multilayered city.
Therefore, the waterfront, as the physical border of that interaction, is the place that can reveal that process as a palimpsest of every former condition. Through a systematic study of the local archive of the island, this research combines different mediums to produce a map corresponding to that era to underline the way this city was formed through the constant interaction of land, people, and sea.
Aimilia Nteka: ''The Rebetiko Musical Trajectory and the Typologies of Entertainment in the Port of Piraeus''
This study explores the role of cultural identity in understanding the port-city relationship as a place of cosmopolitanism, considering the socio-political conditions that lead to various social and architectural experiences. The stories of Piraeus, and how they are represented work as tools to understand emotional and memory driven spaces. Focusing on the intangible moments that left their unique traces in the collective memory leads to the realization of their crucial position in the port region. This research explores the extent to which the port environment has been shaped by its traditional music trajectory and its shaped typologies and how this was depicted in popular culture through time.
Following the sound of Piraeus port, we question whether it surrounds or mingles with the city and whether its musical network reaches away from our sightline. What is the interrelation between music and urban fabric, and how does that connect to its position towards migration integration and inclusivity?