Stories in Stone: Revitalizing a Greek Mountainous ‘Ghost Village’ Through New Narratives

Abstract

This thesis focuses on the village of Ampelochori/Skloupo- one of many villages in Epirus, Greece, facing rural depopulation - gradually turning into a ‘Ghost Village.’ However, renewed interest in the reinvestment and reinhabitation of such communities has recently emerged, seeking to preserve the region’s rich cultural heritage, reclaim traditional knowledge, and recognize new potentials within these landscapes. The proposed design aligns to these aspirations, identifying the village as ‘liminal’ - carrying a fading identity, and attempts to resurface Ampelochori’s myths, history, and traditions, reinforcing collective memory, supporting revitalization, and welcoming new forms of co-habitation.

Through theoretical research, Ampelochori is understood as a place shaped by both “travelling” and “rooting” spirits - joined in their shared feeling of ‘loss’ and ‘reconnection,’ ‘remedied’ annually at the village’s traditional folk music festival. Inspired by these narratives, the design unfolds as an allegory where mythological and historical figures generate the proposed designs.