Research interests

Greek archaeology, especially architecture; three-dimensional documentation and modelling as research tools; use of statistics and computer simulations in architectural and archaeological research.

Research projects

Pakkanen has directed and co-directed several archaeological projects in the Mediterranean which concentrate on the built environment. The on-going Salamis Urban Landscape Project is a collaboration with the Ephorate of Antiquities of West Attica, Piraeus and the Islands and the Finnish Institute at Athens. The project Urban Landscape of Naxos in Sicily has resulted in a revaluation of the design of the orthogonal Classical city grid and recently also its sacred architecture. The Kyllene Harbour Project studied the underwater structures of the most important Greek and Frankish harbour in north-western Peloponnese . Development of new digital three-dimensional documentation methods plays an important part in his fieldwork projects. Also, his research demonstrates that quantitative methods can play an important part in the analysis of architectural design  and reconstruction. Both of these aspects of research can be combined in the analysis of volumetric data for labour cost studies. The temple of Athena Alea at Tegea in the Peloponnese is an important example of Late Classical monumental architecture. Past projects include being the Principal investigator of Quantum Models in Archaeology and Palaeoclimatology (funded by the British Academy) and the study of architecture as part of the research team The Sea, the City and the God. The Kalaureia Archaeological Program (hosted by the Swedish Institute at Athens and funded by the National Bank of Sweden Tercentenary Foundation).