Chrysoula Chelidonaki is an architect with a degree from the University of
Thessaly and an MSc in Environmental Design and Engineering from
University College London (UCL). She has extensive professional experience
in architectural design and project management having collaborated with
architectural practices and organizations in Greece and abroad. Since 2010,
she has been involved in the design and delivery of private and commercial
projects. Her professional portfolio is complemented by participation in
exhibitions, competitions, and academic initiatives related to architecture,
sustainability, and the built environment.

This research examines the historical evolution of department stores from
their emergence in the nineteenth century to their establishment and
development in Greece, exploring and highlighting the relationship between
architectural space, consumer behavior, and social life. Department stores
became emblematic spaces of modernity, combining technological
innovations—such as iron and steel structures, glass construction, artificial
lighting, and new methods of commercial organization—with the creation of
new forms of urban experience and social interaction.
The study investigates the European origins of the department store institution
through prominent examples such as Le Bon Marché, Harrods, and Galeries
Lafayette, as well as its American development through the large commercial
complexes of Chicago and New York. It also examines the transition from the
commercial passages and arcades of the nineteenth century to the organized
department store, which functioned as a “temple of consumption” and as a
setting for the formation of new social identities.
Particular emphasis is placed on the Greek experience, especially in Athens,
where the early commercial arcades of the late nineteenth century gradually
evolved into large department stores during the twentieth century. The
research analyzes representative examples such as Minion, Lampropoulos,
Katrantzos, Dragonas, and Klaoudatos, examining their architectural form, the
technological innovations they incorporated, and their role in shaping post-war
consumer culture and behavior.
Adopting an interdisciplinary approach that examines architectural
development in relation to the sociological and cultural influences of each
period, the dissertation draws upon archival material, architectural drawings,
publications, advertisements, and oral testimonies. Its objective is to
demonstrate how department stores functioned as spaces of consumption,
employment, social interaction, and cultural expression. At the same time, it
seeks to situate the Greek experience within an international context,
contributing to a broader understanding of the department store as a
distinctive architectural and social type that played a significant role in shaping
the modern urban experience.

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