The two influential thinkers and practitioners Dimitris Pikionis (1887-1968) and Aris Konstantinidis (1913-93), discussed in this essay, also expressed feelings of loss. At the same time they were committed to creating a new modern architecture using their studies of the vernacular as inspiration. They sought to create a modern analogue to the vernacular that would be “true” both in the sense of belonging to the present, and also deeply rooted to the specific climate, landscape, and culture of the geographical space of Greece. As we will see, the vernacular meant different things to Pikionis and to Konstantinidis, both of whom left numerous writings formulating their ideas and research initiatives. Another important figure in the exploration of the vernacular was Constantinos Apostolos Doxiadis (1913-75). This essay situates his contribution with regard to the work of Pikionis and Konstantinidis, whom he knew well and collaborated with at different stages of his career.