Dimitris Fatouros (1928–2020). A remarkable man left us today.

How can one speak of the inexhaustible Mimis Fatouros? How can one describe the man, his actions, and his thoughts in just a few lines?
How can one show the significance and value of his personality, capturing the essence of his ideas and work, when he himself often emphasized the complexity, the multifactorial nature, and the multi-sensory experience of the world?

The works and days of Dimitris Fatouros are numerous and multifaceted, filled with achievements and distinctions that grace the pages of his biography. Architect, painter, writer, and poet, he walked all the paths that architecture opens. He was one of the founding members of the Hellenic Institute of Architecture, and since 2015 an Honorary Member, with his participation and support always ongoing.

A teacher with deep social and political awareness, professor, rector, Minister of Education, active thinker and educator, he maintained incredible vitality and clarity until the very end.
His thirst and joy for life, which so distinctly characterized him, coexisted with his concern and pain for the future of humanity — with genuine interest in the environment, our contemporary technological transformation, and the search for values that shape sustainable human communities.

We often crossed paths in shared intellectual pursuits over the years. Tireless in discussion himself, always on equal footing — which is why everyone called him simply “Mimis,” despite the high positions he held — he was a constant reference point, an inexhaustible source, an unparalleled mentor and friend, a second father and brother, I dare say. 

Creation and the thirst for knowledge were continuous life-giving forces that kept his fertile mind alert, always open to new ideas. He was also always generous toward young people.
Mimis Fatouros was a humanist of our time.

We will miss the vitality of his public presence, his sobriety and active reflection, his urgent call for the embodiment and poetry of architecture.
But most of all, we will miss him. We will miss his company and our conversations, the exchange of thoughts about everything current and eternal happening around us. We will miss his subtle sense of humor that accompanied even the most profound moments, and the spiritual uplift, the joy of discovery in every small step of understanding the world around us, which brought a smile to his face. A rare soul.

For his beloved partner, Litsa Tressou, and for all who loved him, learned from him, and grew together with him — students, friends, and collaborators — Mimis is present, he is with us. His journey touched us, leaving indelible marks of his presence within us, along with the shared desire to see the world with dignity, love, and responsibility.

Farewell, Mimis.

Elias Constantopoulos
Professor, University of Patras
President, Hellenic Institute of Architecture