Chrysanthos Pissarides was born in Nicosia, Cyprus. He obtained his degree in Architecture from the Venice University Institute of Architecture (IUAV) in Italy. His postgraduate specialization studies were undertaken in the University of Padova, Italy, in the field of restoration (1997), and in Rome (2009), where he completed the Architectural Records, Inventories and Information Systems for Conservation Course, an advanced course in architectural conservation sponsored by the Getty Conservation Institute and ICCROM. From 2004 up till today, he has participated in several European seminars, such as TRIMED, EUROMED III and RehabiMed, and in a number of specific seminars in Cyprus within the scope of his professional training and advancement.
Since 1999, he has established his own architectural office and provides services of design, management and supervision in public and private projects. The office also carries out architectural design of museums, buildings and complexes, buildings of special use, interventions – preservations of historic and listed buildings, reconstructions and upgrades of protected and preserved totals and historical settlements, urban environmental planning and landscape, landscaping.
He has served as Assistant professor at the History Department of the Venice University Institute of Architecture. He has either organized, co-ordinated, participated in, delivered talks/lectures in cultural events, architecture exhibitions, conferences and workshops.
He won first prize in the architectural competition for the rehabilitation and transformation of the old school in Agros Village into a museum, currently known as the Frangoulides Museum and has also received many awards and distinctions in photography competitions both in Cyprus and abroad.
He maintains a close association over many years with the Cyprus Centre of Cultural Heritage as well as with the Cyprus Department of Antiquities. He has worked for the UNDP either as Supervisor & Project Engineer on inter-communal conservation projects or as Architect/Designer.
In 2015, he was elected President of the Cyprus Branch of ICOMOS, a position that he holds until today. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Cyprus Architects Association (CAA), the Cyprus Architectural Heritage Association, the Disciplinary Board of the Cyprus Scientific and Technical Chamber (CSTC), as well as of several other scientific and jury architectural committees of the CSTC and other professional organisations. He is also a member of the Society of Cypriot Studies, and Geodomo Cyprus. He is a Registered Chartered Arbitrator of CSTC, a Registered Mediator in the Register of Mediators, a Registered Investigation Officer and Property Valuer of CSTC, as well as a Registered Judge in the Register of Judges of Architectural Competitions maintained by CSTC and CAA.
From 2010 to 2013, he was appointed by the Ministry of Education and Culture to serve as a member of the Monuments Committee. He is an Ambassador in Tourism and since 2016 serves as a member of the Committee for the representation of Cyprus at the Venice International Architecture Biennale.
Since 2004, he is a member of the National Committee for the organization of European Heritage Days and has represented the Cypriot Architects Association in the Union of Mediterranean Architects (UMAR) and in the Architects’ Council of Europe (ACE).
Finally, he is the Editor-in-Chief of the “Architects + Engineers” scientific journal as well as publishes articles in the scientific journals of the organizations to which he belongs and the public media.